The purpose of this study was to examine the acute stress response in people experiencing problem gambling. Specifically, this study compared stress-induced changes to salivary cortisol (sC) and salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) levels, as well as self-reported mood, between people who experience and do not experience problem gambling. The researchers also tested the links between gambling urges, impulsivity, and the acute stress response.
Overall, the researchers found physiological dysregulation among people experiencing problem gambling. sC reactions were blunted in those experiencing problem gambling in response to stress. However, there were no differences with respect to sAA activity. In both groups, self-reported mood disturbances increased in response to stress, especially for people experiencing problem gambling. While people experiencing problem gambling had stronger urges to gamble and higher levels of impulsivity, gambling urges and impulsivity were not linked to the acute stress response. This suggests that gambling urges and impulsivity contribute to problem gambling through separate mechanisms from the stress response.
