Gambling at the time of COVID-19: Results from interviews in an Italian sample of gamblers

Ilaria Cataldo; Eleonora Casonato; Ermelinda Levari; Attilio Negri; Pierluigi Simonato; Giulia Tomasi; Giovanna Branz; Aurora Coppola; Pietro Gianfranceschi; Eva Leoni; Pietro Mistretta; Martina Stefani; Miriam Vanzetta; Anna Franceschini; Gianluca Esposito; Ornella Corazza

Emerging Trends in Drugs, Addictions, and Health (Jan 2022)

Gambling at the time of COVID-19: Results from interviews in an Italian sample of gamblers

Ilaria Cataldo,
Eleonora Casonato,
Ermelinda Levari,
Attilio Negri,
Pierluigi Simonato,
Giulia Tomasi,
Giovanna Branz,
Aurora Coppola,
Pietro Gianfranceschi,
Eva Leoni,
Pietro Mistretta,
Martina Stefani,
Miriam Vanzetta,
Anna Franceschini,
Gianluca Esposito,
Ornella Corazza

Affiliations

Ilaria Cataldo: Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy; Corresponding author.
Eleonora Casonato: Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
Ermelinda Levari: Local Public Health Authority, Addiction Treatment Unit (SERD), Trento, Italy
Attilio Negri: School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, United Kingdom
Pierluigi Simonato: School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, United Kingdom; Clinic “Parco dei Tigli”, Padova, Teolo, Italy
Giulia Tomasi: Self-help mutual aid association ''AMA'', Trento, Italy
Giovanna Branz: Local Public Health Authority, Addiction Treatment Unit (SERD), Trento, Italy
Aurora Coppola: Local Public Health Authority, Addiction Treatment Unit (SERD), Trento, Italy
Pietro Gianfranceschi: Local Public Health Authority, Addiction Treatment Unit (SERD), Trento, Italy
Eva Leoni: Local Public Health Authority, Addiction Treatment Unit (SERD), Trento, Italy
Pietro Mistretta: Local Public Health Authority, Addiction Treatment Unit (SERD), Trento, Italy
Martina Stefani: Local Public Health Authority, Addiction Treatment Unit (SERD), Trento, Italy
Miriam Vanzetta: Self-help mutual aid association ''AMA'', Trento, Italy
Anna Franceschini: Local Public Health Authority, Addiction Treatment Unit (SERD), Trento, Italy
Gianluca Esposito: Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy; Psychology Program, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore; Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
Ornella Corazza: Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy; School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, United Kingdom

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 2
p. 100032

Abstract

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The coronavirus pandemic affected the life of those suffering from addictive behaviors often confined to prolonged periods of self-isolation. To explore the variation of symptoms related to gambling, 46 outpatients of the mental health services in the Trento Province were invited to take part in a phone interview at the start of the national lockdown. Although only 2.17% increased gambling activity during this period, half of the sample (50.00%) experienced irritability, mood fluctuation (43.48%) and anxiety (39.13%). Follow-up studies should assess modifications in their behaviors that occurred after the reopening of gambling venues.

Published in Emerging Trends in Drugs, Addictions, and Health

ISSN: 2667-1182 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Medicine: Pharmacy and materia medica
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/emerging-trends-in-drugs-addictions-and-health/

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