A study conducted by the Department of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong on Personality Features of Pathological Gamblers in Hong Kong, one of the first psychological studies on pathological gamblers in Hong Kong, points to the importance of understanding the psychological features and deficits of pathological gamblers. It reveals that pathological gambling is associated with poor impulse control and emotional disturbance. Rehabilitation programs should address these psychological needs. The study also highlighted the importance of using locally valid measures and local norms.

　　According to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th Edition), Pathological Gambling is 'recurrent and persistent maladaptive gambling behavior that disrupts personal, family and vocational aspects'.

　　In this study, the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) was used as the screening instrument on gambling and the Chinese Personality Assessment Inventory (CPAI-2) to understand the personality features of pathological gamblers.

　　The study examined 91 male pathological gamblers recruited from the treatment center of Industrial Evangelistic Fellowship (IEF). The mean age of the group was 40 years and the average gambling history was 22 years.

　　Most of the 91 male gamblers who participated in this study started gambling during adolescence (Mean age = 17.42, SD = 6.83). In addition to monetary returns, most gamblers agreed that seeking excitement, alleviating mood disturbances and avoiding life stressors are also reasons for their involvement in gambling activities. This is consistent with western studies that emotional vulnerability factors contributed to the development of pathological gambling. As measured by the Chinese Personality Assessment Inventory (CPAI-2), the Chinese male pathological gamblers showed a pattern of addictive behavior reflecting a lack of impulse control and an inclination towards thrill-seeking behaviors, compared with average Chinese men. In addition, 51.6% of the pathological gamblers suffered from depressive symptoms that affected their daily functioning.

　　Analysis of the subgroups of the pathological gamblers showed that 36.6% of the group who had more severe gambling problems presented psychopathologies that warranted clinical attention. In clinical scales, they suffered from poor self-esteem, and had more emotional and behavioral problems. In terms of personality features, they tended to be less responsible and more pessimistic, attributed control to external factors, and had weaker family orientation.

　　It should be cautioned that this study is limited to a group of male pathological gamblers who have participated voluntarily in a treatment program. Further research is necessary before the results can be generalized to other pathological gamblers in Hong Kong, including those in other treatment settings and those who are not motivated to receive treatment.

　　The study was conducted by Professor Fanny M. Cheung, Professor of Psychology of The Chinese University of Hong Kong and Ms Gloria W.Y. Wan, a MSSc student in clinical psychology at the Department of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong.