Abstract

The purpose of this study is to compare with cognitive error of social gambling, problem gambling, pathological gambling and investigate effect of cognitive error of gamblers to the severity of gambling problem. The objects of study were university students and gamblers who participate in unlegalized and legalized gamblings including casino, horse-racing, poker, wha-tu that representative gambling in korea. In the results of this study, cognitive error of gambling and severity of gambling problem were defined and validated as irrational gambling belief and gambling severity scale. Pathological gambler was found to have stronger irrational gambling belief than problem gambler, problem gambler was found to have stronger irrational gambling belief than social gambler. Also irrational gambling belief was found to have significant influence on gambling severity. Suggested that irrational gambling belief is the persistent and strong cognitive property of pathological gambling and the false cognitive inferences on the gambling processing and result strengthen gambling motive, as a result, gambling severity aggravate. Therefore, cognitive modification is the essential part in pre-intervention, treatment and recurrence prevention of pathological gambling.