Pathological Gamblers, Heroin Addicts and Controls Compared on the E.P.Q.‘Addiction Scale’

Summary A 32 item Addiction Scale derived from the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire was administered to 60 pathological gamblers, 25 male and 26 female heroin addicts and 27 male and 25 female controls. The purpose of the study was to replicate Gossop and Eysenck's (1980) finding that the scale differentiated drug addicts from controls and to test the hypothesis that pathological gambling is an addictive disorder and that pathological gamblers would show a profile similar to substance addicts. Gossop and Eysenck's findings were replicated. Results also supported the present hypothesis. Male addicts and gamblers had significantly higher Addiction, Neuroticism and Psychoticism scale scores than controls. Female addicts scored significantly higher on the Addiction and Psychoticism scales than their female counterparts. As items composing the scale load on anxiety and depression it was concluded that any similarities between pathological gamblers and substance addicts may reflect a general factor of affective disturbance. The role of excitement and arousal as the addictive agent in pathological gambling is discussed.