Abstract

In this study, multidimensional impulsiveness and distress tolerance were considered as variables that can control the personality of gambling risk that affects the severity of gambling, leading to pathological gambling behavior. The effect of multidimensional impulsiveness and the mediating effect of distress tolerance on gambling severity were also examined. It was intended to be studied in connection with distress tolerance because most people use substances to relieve their negative emotional experiences and use relationships and Social Network Service addiction to escape from reality. A multidimensional impulse questionnaire, gambling severity questionnaire, and distress tolerance questionnaire were administered to 165 clients who visited a counseling center located in Gyeongsang-do, South Korea. Correlation analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between major variables and Process Macro of SPSS Hayes was used to confirm the effect of multidimensional impulsiveness on gambling severity through distress tolerance. The main results of the research are as follows. First, multidimensional impulsiveness and gambling severity were significantly and positively correlated. Second, distress tolerance partially mediated the relationship between multidimensional impulsiveness and gambling severity: multidimensional impulsiveness directly affects gambling severity, and simultaneously has an indirect effect by mediating distress tolerance. In summary, this study confirmed the direct effect of multidimensional impulsiveness and the indirect effect of distress tolerance on the relationship between multidimensional impulsiveness and gambling severity. Based on these results, the significance and limitations of the study and recommenations for subsequent research are discussed.