Cognitive processes, or styles of thinking, are thought to play a role in the development of disordered gambling. Being aware of how you think, and the present moment is called mindfulness. This study examines whether different styles of thinking and a person’s degree of mindfulness are related to disordered gambling. It also examines this process in young women, since there are key differences between men and women who gamble. A total of 125 young women who gambled regularly were recruited from betting and bingo halls in Italy. They filled out questionnaires that assessed their thinking styles, levels of mindfulness, and gambling habits. The researchers found a relationship between the thinking style called executive thinking, low levels of mindfulness, and gambling. This suggests that young women who think in an executive style are more prone to have low levels of mindfulness. In turn, low levels of mindfulness result in more problematic gambling.
