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Psychosocial aspects of pathological gambling
TRHLÍKOVÁ, Andrea
This bachelor thesis focuses on the psychosocial aspects of pathological gambling and examines the factors that can lead to this addiction; and thus its impact on the psychological and social spheres. The theoretical part describes the different classifications of addiction, gambling, pathological gambling including etiology, consequences of pathological gambling, treatment, prevention along with relapse and social work with pathological gamblers. In the practical part, a qualitative research strategy was used which included semi-structured interviews and content analysis of the data. The research showed that the factors leading to pathological gambling were many and it was not possible to pinpoint which factor caused the addiction, however, there were factors that kept recurring. Pathological gambling has a negative impact on the whole social sphere, such as family, partner and friendship relationships, employment, financial situation and hobbies. Similarly, pathological gambling has a negative impact on the psychosomatic state. Regarding the motivation of pathological gamblers to address their addiction or to enter treatment, research has shown that pathological gamblers are often unable to address their situation themselves and need external motivation and support to find solutions, as they initially downplay the situation and do not address it. However, external factors lead them to consider the behaviour and in the end they are internally motivated and actively address the seriousness of their situation. Research has also revealed some lesser-known phenomena that co-occur with gambling addiction, namely gambling delusions, attentional selection and the fact that the amounts wagered during relapse are much higher than before abstinence. The bachelor's thesis may represent a resource for extending and improving social work with pathological gamblers. This research can also serve as information material for the general public and provide a basis for further studies in this area.
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