Executive Functioning and Gambling: Performance on the Trail Making Test is Associated with Gambling Problems in Older Adult Gamblers

ABSTRACT

Rates of gambling problems in older adults have risen with increased accessibility of gambling venues. One possible contributor to problem gambling among older adults is decreased self-control brought about by diminished executive functioning. Consistent with this possibility, Study 1 revealed that older adults recruited from gambling venues reported greater gambling problems if they also experienced deficits in executive functioning, measured via the Trail Making Test. Study 2 replicated this finding and demonstrated that problem gambling is associated with increased depression among older adults, mediated by increased financial distress. These studies provide support for the hypothesis that older adult gamblers who have executive functioning problems are also likely to have gambling problems.

Keywords:

• Executive functioning
• Mental set shifting
• Inhibition
• Problem gambling
• Self-control

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Support for this research was provided by grants from the Australian Research Council. Preparation of this manuscript was facilitated by a fellowship at the Institute for Advanced Study, Berlin.

Notes

¹The results were functionally identical when raw scores were used for the TMT in both studies.

²The reliabilities reported above were computed with the full sample. Reliabilities with the sub-sample scoring higher than 26 on the MMSE were equivalent or higher than these.