Associations between autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and gambling problems

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Author(s): So, Ryuhei ; Sato, Yoshitaka ; Hashimoto, Nozomu ; Furukawa, Toshi A.

Journal: PCN Reports

Year Published: 2023

Date Added: May 21, 2024

Gambling disorders tend to co-occur with other disorders, including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, the link between gambling disorders and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has not been well studied. The goal of this study was to estimate the prevalence of ASD and ADHD traits among people with a gambling disorder. The researchers also examined the relationship between these traits and gambling problems. Participants were 96 adult patients who attended an outpatient clinic in Japan. All participants were diagnosed with a gambling disorder according to the DSM-5.

The researchers found that the prevalence of ASD was 29.8% among the participants. The prevalence of ADHD traits was 26%. About 7.3% of participants had both ADHD and ASD. Higher levels of ASD traits were associated with less severe gambling problems. But higher levels of ADHD traits were associated with more severe gambling problems. Participants with both ADHD and ASD had more severe gambling problems than those with ADHD or ASD alone.

Citation: So, R., Sato, Y., Hashimoto, N., & Furukawa, T. A. (2023). Prevalence of suspected autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in a Japanese clinical sample with gambling disorder: A cross-sectional study. PCN Reports, 2(3), e131. https://doi.org/10.1002/pcn5.131.

Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/pcn5.131

Keywords: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) ; comorbidities ; problem gambling

Topics: Comorbidities ; Gambling and the Brain

Conceptual Framework Factors: Psychological - Personality and Temperament ; Psychological - Comorbid Disorders ; Psychological Factors

Study Design: Descriptive: Survey

Geographic Coverage: Japan

Study Population: Adults with a gambling disorder according to the DSM-5 who attended an outpatient clinic specializing in addictive disorders (n = 96)

Sampling Procedure: Participants were recruited from an outpatient clinic specializing in addictive disorders at the Okayama Psychiatric Medical Center in Japan. The study period was between June 2016 and July 2019.

Study Funding:

No funding was received for this study.