Untangling the role of emotion regulation in gambling and video gaming cravings: A replication and extension study

Rivero, Francisco J. ; Barrada, Juan Ramón (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Muela, Ismael ; Perales, José C. ; López-Guerrero, Jose ; Navas, Juan F. ; García-Gómez, Elena-Aurora ; Brevers, Damien ; Ciudad-Fernández, Víctor

Resumen: Background: Existing evidence suggests that urgency—the tendency to act rashly under intense positive or negative affect—reflects dysregulated incidental emotion regulation (ER). Urgency has been reported to predict the intensity and frequency of video gaming and gambling craving, but not the translation of craving onto severity of problem symptoms. However, the role of intentional ER strategies, such as cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression, in craving control remains underexplored. Method: 303 regular gamblers and 355 regular video gamers were assessed on urgency traits, ER strategies, self-reported craving, and gaming/gambling-related severity of problem symptoms. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), we tested hypotheses regarding: (1) the mediating role of craving in the relationship between positive/negative urgency and severity, and (2) the moderating role of ER strategies in the link between craving and severity. Results: Results revealed that, in both activities, positive urgency—but not negative urgency—significantly predicted craving, replicating a positive urgency→craving→severity pathway. However, urgencies did not moderate the craving-severity relationship. Regarding intentional ER strategies, in the gaming sample, suppression moderated the association between craving and severity: cravings were more strongly associated with severity of problem symptoms in individuals more prone to use suppression. In the gambling sample, reappraisal moderated the impact of craving on severity: craving was less strongly associated with severity in individuals using reappraisal more often. Discussion: These findings suggest that positive urgency operates similarly in gaming and gambling cravings, highlighting appetitive mechanisms in craving emergence. Intentional ER seems to influence severity in interaction with craving, with craving exerting a stronger impact on severity in individuals using less adaptive strategies.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2025.108393

Año: 2025

Publicado en: ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS 170 (2025), 108393 [13 pp.]
ISSN: 0306-4603

Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/AEI/PID2023-150731NB-I00
Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MICIN/FPU21/00462
Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MICIN/FPU21/00527
Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MICINN/PID2020-116535GB-I00
Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MICINN PRE2021-100665

Tipo y forma: Article (Published version)

Área (Departamento): Área Psicolog.Evolut.Educac (Dpto. Psicología y Sociología)