From trauma to tolerance : Psychological predictors of gambling harm among male UK Armed Forces Veterans

Abstract

Introduction: Veterans face disproportionately high risks of gambling-related harm, influenced by trauma exposure, emotional dysregulation, and maladaptive coping. However, little is known about how these interconnected psychological traits contribute to gambling harm severity in Veterans. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 184 UK Armed Forces Veterans assessed socio-demographic and military characteristics, gambling engagement, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), impulsivity, intolerance of uncertainty (IU), and psychological flexibility (PsyFlex). Associations with gambling harm severity, measured using the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), were examined through chi-squared tests, correlations, and stepwise logistic regression. Results: Of the sample, 25% scored ≥1 on the PGSI, with 3.3% meeting the threshold for problem gambling. Gambling harm severity was significantly associated with PTSD re-experiencing and avoidance, household dysfunction ACE, negative and positive urgency, inhibitory IU, and low PsyFlex. Regression analysis identified PTSD re-experiencing (OR 2.16), PTSD avoidance (OR 0.27), inhibitory IU (OR 7.96), and prospective IU (OR 0.12) as significant predictors. Discussion: The findings underscore the multi-faceted psychological vulnerabilities underlying gambling harm in Veterans, thus supporting the need for trauma-informed, personalized interventions. Targeted screening for IU, impulsivity, and PsyFlex could improve prevention and treatment efforts.