Abstract
The Existentialist and personality trait theory theories are being applied in this case to understand the problems that are faced by a gambler while formulating assessment plan. The Existentialistic theory explains the difficulties experienced in making choices in life. It is used to understand the challenges the gambler faced while making life choices. A therapist applies this theory to find solutions for the gambler to accept life conflicts and paradoxes. This is to create a path for him to understand life. The personality trait theory explains that character is usually constant despite the situation the individual finds. The theory of traits is an approach that focuses on why individuals exhibit differences in their personality. In this case, Mark feels excited and motivated to win the “cards” but at the end feels lonely by his life. He cannot explain why his family left, and this leaves him in distress. He faced problems as a young boy in impulsivity and sensation seeking.
The case is of a gambler, Mark, who is faced by a series of problems in his life from childhood to adulthood. Mark uses gambling as an escape plan over his life that seems lonely and departed by friends and family. The Existentialist and personality theories could instead explain his life while providing him with solutions. The Existentialist theory is used in psychotherapy to teach Mark how to apply it in the decisions he makes every day. This theory will help Mark answer questions in life like; Why does he exist? What choices can he make in life? What does he value? How can he contribute to the world he exists? The theory is to help Mark understand the true meaning of life. Mark reports to have experienced doubts in his life and termed it as meaningless. He experienced what can be termed as existential anxiety. In this case, Mark set on a quest to find the meaning of life to satisfy his needs. He found gambling as a way to relate to the world and find sense. He may have faced problems when his definition of life conflicted the true meaning of life. The existential therapy will help mark in resolving life dilemmas in a meaningful way. Personality trait theory determines the trends in behaviour that Mark exploited. It explains the attitude which tends to present in different situations in life. Mark could have shown introversion or extraversion in his behaviour. In some scenarios, Mark could have been talkative and outgoing with his friends. In other instances, he could have shown solitary and reserved demeanour. When he is extrovert, he might reveal more preference in a stimulating environment. He might also show introversion when he shows less stimulation in a stimulating environment.
Assessment Direction
Concerning Existential theory, Mark presented signs of being an agitated extrovert. He reported financial problems and was aware that exactly he was in a financial crisis. When he loses, he retrieves at home where he consumes alcohol to drown in his frustrations. He experienced problems in intimacy, depressed mood, financial stress and could not control his behaviour. Mark has to recognize the power he holds in choosing his various actions that include overspending his finances by taking credits and overdrinking. He can examine the situation he his experiencing and become aware of his power to resolve this situation. This will enable him to make the choices which are meaningful to his life. Some methods could be used to solve the problems that Mark is facing. The therapists can apply the use of behavioural, cognitive and Gestalt techniques of existential theory.
The personality trait theory is evident when Mark shows various traits which are combined to form the personality traits. The theory is designated in measuring and identifying the measures and characteristics of an individual. Mark shows impulsivity and seeks attention. He was brought up in a family which had shaky foundations as his parents fought most of the time. He can describe his mother as supportive, rejecting, caring, and harsh to him. Most of the time, his parents would go and come back late in his night. The negativity he experienced in his life led to these problems and greatly influenced his personality traits. These problems can be solved by psychotherapists using three methods of personality trait; extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism. Marks usually finds that when he gambles, he takes away stress in his life while controlling the negative thoughts. He has no close relationships as his betting friends cannot be close to being acquaintances.
Assessment plan; Measures based on Existential Theory
The therapist will apply three measures to solve the problems that Mark is facing. They can use the satisfaction with life measures, the structured clinical values and the gambling pathway questionnaire. Satisfaction with life measures is about individuals who experience and are struggling with gambling. Few researchers, in this case, suggest that the treatment for individuals who practice excessive gambling should be a reduction of the negative thoughts. The people who are faced with gambling problems report loneliness at high levels. According to this research, an individual experiencing this problem must have experienced disturbance of interpersonal relationships as a child. This is evident in the life of Mark as he faced the loss of close family, abandonment, physical abuse, emotional neglect, and rejection. He can count the times he was happy and shared a moment with his father. He experienced parents fighting on the various occasion that caused mental torture to him.
The problem that Mark faced due to gambling was the result of turbulent and chaotic emotions. According to Grant & Kim 2004, loneliness can be explained as a factor that motivates gambling problems. However, the research on loneliness might not be efficient as the study was not efficiently carried out. There were no sufficient questions that were asked to interviews. Social loneliness arises when an individual is isolated from other people due to the absence of social relationships. The emotional loneliness is experienced from inadequate satisfactory close attachment. Two risks factors might contribute to the gambling problems, which is dissatisfaction generally that leads to boredom and depression. In this situation, Mark is dissatisfied with his life and therefore, excessive gambling. To study an individual with problem gambling, we evaluate loneliness and satisfaction of life. The motivating factor behind gambling is the opportunity of socializing and having a sense of belongingness in-group solidarity. This method is faced by limitations of non-diagnosis of absence or presence of gambling pathology.
The next method was the structured clinical interview that was conducted on 72 subjects who were diagnosed with problems in gambling. The diagnosis of this problem has a low correlation with anxiety and depression moods. The use of the SCI- Problem gambling instrument has shown independent anxiety and moods in the study. The presence of illegal behaviour and jeopardizing meaningful relationships is essential and results in low inter-rater reliability. The low values recorded are an indication that questions to follow up these items should have recurred. They include the specificity that consists of the activity of gambling as lost opportunities or illegal. The limitation of this method is that the individual’s reaction might have been altered by the use of SCI- problem gambling instrument before the study. It might have affected the individual’s positive response as they considered having behaviour problems from previous instruments. In this case, Mark should apply the suggested method to check whether he experiences the problems in gambling.
The validation and development of the gambling pathway questionnaire to explain the varying gambling disorder. Researchers have proposed various theories that can be used in finding the exposure to early gambling; psychodynamic, genetic, public health, exposure, neurobiological and the cognitive behavioural techniques. The pathway model used results in three types of gamblers who are distinguished by the absence or presence of specific biological and psychopathology features. The model explains that individuals who experience gambling disorders have similar ecological factors. These are accessibility, availability, acceptability, cognitive habituation and distortions that are experienced from the operant conditioning. In pathway1, the individual gambler will show the absence of psychopathology and might develop problems as they respond to contingency.
They have a cognitive distortion that they hold a probability of winning. They have a nature of control and randomness. Pathway 2 consists of emotional vulnerability where the gambler will present mood disorders, poor coping history, and major traumatic events in life like disturbance during childhood. The gamblers classified in pathway 3 exhibit all the traits of pathway two but only differed in biological traits. They include deficits in attention, Impusitivity and antisocial traits. These traits might result in comorbid addictions and maladaptive behaviours. The limitations of this method were data collection of a large number of individuals in a population of gamblers seeking treatment.
Measures based on personal trait theory
The personality trait theory to expand on Marks case understanding uses three measures; the personality perceived luck and Gambling attitudes. A study on quantitative observations was carried to examine the link between factors and level of individual involvement in gambling. The study focused on certain factors; perceived luck, personality and attitude of an individual towards gambling. This used a questionnaire to carry out the study. The group examined showed the characteristics of impulsivity, belief in luck and showed more positive and high attitudes towards gambling. Impulsivity was used as a strong predictor in this study. Individuals who develop gambling problems shows factors like low socioeconomic status, unemployment, poor education levels and no income. The risk for development of gambling problems is experienced when the individual is faced by the factors of luck, personality and attitude. This method used techniques like the ANOVA test, the Impression Management (IM) scores. This study method aimed to explain the individual differences that predict young adults into gambling involvement.
Some differences occur significantly between the groups gambling in terms of liveliness, reasoning, emotional stability, sensitivity, tension and perfectionism. Individuals with gambling problems tend to show pushy and forceful behaviours. This individual prefers being alone, socially reserved and cautious. They use gambling as a substitute for inadequate attention and love from parents or partners. This is well illustrated in the case of Mark. His parents were never available to provide company and love. This led to his poor relations even with women because they usually left complaining of his behaviour. The limitations of this technique are that it does nor explain the different traits that are associated with specific gambling preferences.
Another measure that can be applied to test for gambling problems is the personality correlates of pathological gambling. This is derived from the Big three and five personality models. A personality trait is an essential factor in various external behaviours like aggression, addiction, and antisocial traits. These behaviours are common and associated with pathological gambling. This study used the combination of Big three and five modules in a structured interview (Jones et al. 2011). The relations between pathogenic gambling and personality trait is related to neuroticism, interpersonal, disinhibition and antagonism. In this case, gambling can be compared to behaviours like substance use, risky sex or also non-suicidal injuries.
This can be used as a maladaptive strategy to cope with the adverse effects associated with such behaviours. This may yield a short term growth from the negative effects. However, this might cause dysfunction in long term effects. This pathway can be applied as its consistent with work and motivations of coping are necessary as they correlate with pathological gambling and gambling. The use of elevated scores on measures such as neuroticism as an outcome of pathology gambling, where the individual faces interpersonal and financial consequences. This eventually leads to negative effects which manifest in neuroticism measures. There is a relationship between pathological gambling and neuroticism where one factor leads to the increase of the other.
The third measure used in personality trait is predicting the failure of treatment in pathological gambling. This is characterized by the inability of resisting the urge to gamble in excess despite the harm and consequences that the individual experiences. This study, however, explains that most individual who gamble never develops pathological gambling (Maclaren et al. 2011). This study used the Zuckerman-Kuhlman personality questionnaire to examine personality. It was seeking to assess the personality of treatment in adults in comparison to range controls. Secondly, they used the ZKPQ variable to predict failure in treatment for pathological gamblers. The sociodemographic data such as age and onset of gambling were not correlated with personality scales. However, this study was faced by limitations where the small sample size never allowed for relapsed or dropped out cases. Most of the patients appearing were and making it difficult to check for the applicability of females as gamblers. Lastly, the comorbidity that was assessed by interviews, Axis-11 was not evaluated properly.
In general, personality trait research is faced by limitations. They focus on bivariate associations of the pathological gambling and personality traits. They do not focus on the domain involved in personality, and this makes it impossible when examining the relationship between the two.
The measures applied in personality trait and existential theory would be widely necessary to help Mark overcome his current problems. He should visit therapists recommended by professional as they should understand every measure to instil. It is encouraging him to seek treatment. He should embrace openness so that he can with his fears. The fear of loneliness faces him, therefore is satisfied with life measure. Mark if confronted by a clinical issue in pathological gambling. Using the ZKPQ variable, he should identify the strategies that can work on him to resolve his problems. He cannot keep a relationship starting with his betting friends to the woman who lives after a while. The result of this is emotional loneliness where Mark feels abandoned by family. He faces perceived luck, personality and attitude of an individual towards gambling.
I would recommend an adjustment in the client’s assessment regime to apply other methods that might work. The use of failure in treatment. This is most efficient when testing the clients level of pathological gambling. Dealing with a patient’s modalities of care such as comfort, support, screening, health education, and coordination is essential when dealing with the client. This will help get his mind from being preoccupied and reliving past experiences of the next venture and thinking of ways he can get money for the next gamble. Recommendation of preoccupying activities is essential to keep Mark from feeling lonely. He is used to gambling as a means of escaping dysphoric moods of feeling helpless or depressed. Also, the administration of proper medication to boost his moods and relieve him from anxiety is an excellent remedy.
In summary, Mark is an individual who experienced a rough childhood away from love and friends that affected his future life. This led him to indulge in loneliness and gambling that eventually became problematic. The public health should get informed about the problem gambling and come up with approaches. The media should focus on these problems, its causes, consequences and solutions to enlighten the public and those suffering from the condition. Gambling to some extents become harmful that increases the vulnerability and exposing people to risky patterns while incorporating selected factors. The continuous gambling behaviour results in substance abuse, depression, and personality disorders. The compulsive gambling later can be associated with disorders like bipolar, obsessive-compulsive or hyperactivity. Individuals with problem gambling develop low self-esteem, appetite loss, stress disorders, and are likely to suffer from depression. Individuals facing these signs should seek help and speak out before the symptoms get worse. We can say that gambling is compared to alcohol when used occasionally, it is generally safe.
References
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Grant, J. E., Steinberg, M. A., Kim, S. W., Rounsaville, B. J., & Potenza, M. N. (2004). Preliminary validity and reliability testing of a structured clinical interview for pathological gambling. Psychiatry research, 128(1), 79-88.
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Miller, J. C., Dixon, M. R., Parker, A., Kulland, A. M., & Weatherly, J. N. (2010). Concurrent Validity of the Gambling Functional Assessment (GFA): Correlations with the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) and Indicators of Diagnostic Efficiency. Analysis of Gambling Behavior, 4(1).