Adverse Childhood Experiences and Problematic Gambling Among Young Adults: Three Moderated Mediation

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Problematic Gambling Among Young Adults: Three Moderated Mediation | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Adverse Childhood Experiences and Problematic Gambling Among Young Adults: Three Moderated Mediation İbrahim Erdoğan Yayla, Samet Makas, Kübra Dombak, Seyhan Bekir, and 3 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8949934/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 12 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Gambling is a significant, current public health issue among young adults. Literature suggests that adverse childhood experiences may be associated with it. Moreover, emotion regulation and self-control may play a role in this relationship. Sensation seeking and a family gambling history may also moderate the relationships. We aimed to explore the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and problematic gambling among adolescents. We used PROCESS Model 6 to examine difficulties in emotion regulation and self-control as mediators and applied Model 89 to analyze moderated mediation involving sensation seeking and family gambling history. The study sample consisted of 579 young adults (67.5% man) aged 18–29 years (M = 21.08 years; SD = 1.93 years). We found a significant positive relationship between adverse childhood experiences and problematic gambling. Mediation of difficulties in both emotion regulation and self-control was also significant. Sensation seeking and family gambling history conditioned the mediation by strengthening pathways to problematic gambling. Findings indicate that problematic gambling has strong connections with multidimensional psychosocial patterns and highlight the importance of considering individual and familial differences. Biological sciences/Psychology Social science/Psychology Health sciences/Risk factors Problematic gambling emotion regulation childhood experiences self-control Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 9 Introduction Aiming to gain profit by placing something of value on an event whose outcome depends on chance is called gambling (Lopes & Tavares, 2025 ). Excessive gambling behavior has long been regarded as problematic. However, both online and face-to-face problematic gambling behavior is becoming increasingly prevalent worldwide. A recent meta-analytic study of over 60 countries shows that 1.3–1.4% of adults worldwide meet the criteria for gambling disorder, and up to ~ 8.7% are at risk of problematic gambling (Tran et al., 2024 ). The Pathological Gambling Model is one of the most frequently referred models in explaining gambling and purports that problematic gambling develops and is sustained by factors such as impulsive, thrill-seeking, risk-taking, and antisocial personality traits (Blaszczynski & Nower, 2002 ). It is driven by both positive reinforcement (e.g., feelings of winning, rewards, and pleasure) and negative reinforcement (e.g., escaping negative emotions and reducing stress) (Mestre-Bach et al., 2025 ). “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” (DSM-5) categorizes gambling disorder under substance-related and addictive disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 2013 ). This disorder is characterized by an individual’s persistent, repetitive, and uncontrollable gambling. Persistence of behavior despite adverse consequences and significant functional impairments in various areas of people’s lives indicates a gambling disorder (World Health Organization, 2022 ). Gambling disorder has neuropsychological foundations in terms of reward systems, impulse control, and learning processes (Mestre-Bach et al., 2025 ). For many people, gambling is entertainment, a source of socialization and excitement, or a temporary escape (Neophytou et al., 2023 ). However, this behavior negatively affects the individual’s quality of life. Financial troubles (e.g., Koomson et al., 2022 ), family conflicts (e.g., Tulloch et al., 2022 ), deterioration in work performance (e.g., Ngetich et al., 2023 ), social isolation (e.g., Sirola et al., 2023 ), psychological problems such as depression (e.g., Richard et al., 2020 ), anxiety (e.g, Rapinda et al., 2023 ) or stress (e.g., Sagoe et al., 2021 ), decreased life satisfaction (e.g., Howard et al., 2023 ), and substance use (e.g., Mills et al., 2020 ) are to name only some. Those who are men, younger in age, lower in socioeconomic status, come from a family history with gambling, and have certain personality traits such as impulsivity, risk-taking, and psychiatric comorbidities are under even greater risk (e.g., Moreira et al., 2023 ; Arpaci & Kocadag Unver, 2020 ). In addition, problematic gambling often originates from adverse early life experiences (Bristow et al., 2022 ). Familial difficulties such as emotional neglect, childhood trauma, and a history of addiction in parents increase an individual’s tendency to gamble in later life (Geniş & Aksu, 2020 ). Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) and Problematic Gambling In recent years, studies strongly support that ACEs are closely associated with problematic gambling behavior (e.g., Bahri et al., 2024 ; Bristow et al., 2022 ; Goodrich et al., 2023 ; Horak et al., 2021 ). Traumatic and negative events during childhood are known to play significant roles in tendencies toward risky and addictive behaviors later in life (e.g., Royer et al., 2022 ; Sakulsriprasert et al., 2023 ). Early traumatic life events involving emotional, physical, or sexual abuse, neglect, and domestic dysfunction, such as parental substance abuse, mental illness history, domestic violence, or divorce to which the individual was exposed before the age of 18, are some of the ACEs (Hustedde, 2021 ). These experiences undermine the security, attachment, and emotion-regulation systems during childhood and leave lasting impacts (Tokumitsu et al., 2025 ). Early exposure to trauma tends to lead to struggling to cope with stress and negative emotions in adulthood and to engage in behaviors that provide short-term relief but lead to addiction in the long term (Levin et al., 2021 ). Research shows that ACE not only increases the risk of gambling but also affects the severity and likelihood of continued gambling behavior. Bristow et al. ( 2022 ) reported that all types of ACE, except emotional neglect and parental mental illness, significantly increased the likelihood of gambling addiction. Their study showed that emotional and physical abuse, in particular, were among the strongest predictors of gambling behavior in adulthood. Similarly, Marchica et al. ( 2022 ) found that ACEs were a significant predictor of gambling behavior among adolescents. Tucker et al. ( 2021 ) reported that early childhood traumas were effective in the development of gambling addiction through mediating psychological factors. More specifically, difficulties in emotion regulation and impulsivity play a decisive role in this relationship. Goodrich et al. ( 2023 ) associated ACE not only with problematic gambling but also with substance addiction, internet gaming addiction, and other behavioral addictions. The Mediator Role of Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Emotion regulation skills refer to the capacity to recognize, understand, and appropriately manage emotional experiences, all of which are fundamental components of psychological well-being (Aydın & Süslü, 2023 ; Brodbeck et al., 2022 ). These skills are shaped early in development, particularly through parent-child interactions and healthy attachment within the family environment (Ye et al., 2024 ). Secure attachment allows children to express and regulate their emotions and develop coping strategies, whereas neglect, emotional abuse, parental deprivation, rejection, or inconsistencies seriously undermine this process and lead to the perception that emotions are “threats” and to long-term maladaptive emotion-regulation patterns (Dagnino et al., 2025 ; Feiler et al., 2023 ). Thus, they are fundamental psychological structures that construct the capacity to cope with stress, anxiety, and negative emotions throughout life (Brodbeck et al., 2022 ). However, ACE disrupts these developmental processes and impairs the ability to maintain emotional balance by undermining the recognition and regulation of emotions (Ye et al., 2024 ). Such experiences disrupt emotional functioning at both neurological and cognitive levels and increase the risk of resorting to maladaptive coping strategies in adulthood (Dagnino et al., 2025 ). People with a history of ACE tend to seek short-term relief by resorting to maladaptive strategies to avoid or suppress negative emotions (Arpaci, 2021 ), which foster problematic coping styles in the long term and facilitate the development of behavioral addictions like gambling (Feiler et al., 2023 ). Studies have revealed significant relationships between emotion regulation difficulties and gambling addiction. For example, Mestre-Bach et al. ( 2021 ) found that emotion regulation difficulties significantly predicted gambling addiction. Similarly, Estévez et al. ( 2023 ) reported that emotion regulation difficulties mediated the relationship between traumatic experiences and gambling addiction. These findings support the idea that emotion regulation difficulties play both etiological and perpetuating roles. The impact of ACE on emotion regulation appears to weaken psychological resilience, and difficulties in it emerge as a critical mediating variable explaining the relationship between ACE and problematic gambling. The Mediator Role of Self-Control Self-control skills acquired during childhood are also among the fundamental psychological structures that determine an individual’s capacity to manage impulses, avoid immediate gratification, and regulate behavior (Chapple et al., 2021 ). Self-control is shaped in early childhood through parental influences, attachment styles, and environmental factors (Fava et al., 2023 ). However, traumatic childhood experiences during this period hinder the fulfillment of the child’s emotional needs, negatively affecting the development of trust and self-control (Chapple et al., 2021 ). Individuals with ACE exhibit weaker self-control (Jones et al., 2023 ; Namusoke et al., 2024 ). These negative experiences weaken the individual’s self-regulatory capacity, thereby facilitating the development of impulsive, risk-taking, and short-term, reward-focused behavioral patterns (Jebraeili et al., 2023 ). Gambling, in particular, can be used as a coping strategy that provides short-term relief in the face of negative emotions (Neophytou et al., 2023 ). However, it also feeds into a cycle of problematic gambling and addiction in the long term (Richard et al., 2024 ). Indeed, studies indicate a negative relationship between self-control and gambling addiction (Flores-Pajot et al., 2021 ). Self-control interacts with cognitive distortions related to gambling and stressful life events to weaken the tendency toward problematic gambling (Thurm et al., 2023 ). Similarly, lower levels of self-control make it difficult for individuals to show behavioral resistance to short-term rewards offered by gambling, which contributes to the persistence of gambling behavior (Thurm et al., 2023 ). In this regard, self-control plays a mediating role in the relationship between ACE and problematic gambling. Weaker self-control skills among those exposed to ACE increase the tendency towards risky behaviors stemming from an inability to regulate the self; therefore, self-control serves as a fundamental psychological bridge that explains the behavioral consequences of ACE. The Moderator Role of Sensation Seeking ACE might affect developmental balance and leave lasting marks at both the neurological and psychosocial levels (Bahri et al., 2024 ). Such experiences can heighten the sensitivity of the stress-response system, thereby increasing reward seeking, impulsivity, and risk-taking (Babakr & Fatahi, 2023 ). In this context, ACE may have a decisive influence on thrill-seeking (Janković et al., 2023 ), a personality trait characterized by a tendency to seek pleasure from new, intense, and risky experiences (Zuckerman, 1994 ). Individuals with ACE have been found to engage in risky, stimulating behaviors to suppress their negative emotions or to experience intense arousal (Babakr & Fatahi, 2023 ). Gambling manifests as an emotional escape for some individuals and a search for excitement and stimulation for others (Mancone et al., 2025 ). There is a positive correlation between thrill-seeking and problematic gambling (Celik et al., 2022 ). Similarly, Mancone et al. ( 2025 ) found that individuals with higher levels of thrill-seeking showed an increased risk of problematic gambling and exhibited lower insight skills. Teenagers with higher thrill-seeking tendencies view gambling as a means of “pleasure and stimulation” and have more flexible attitudes toward gambling and a higher propensity for risk-taking (Farhat et al., 2021 ). In this context, thrill-seeking can be considered a moderating factor shaping the relationship between ACE and problematic gambling. In other words, the likelihood of problematic gambling behavior among individuals exposed to ACE may vary depending on the individual’s level of thrill-seeking. Whereas individuals with lower thrill-seeking tendencies tend to avoid or suppress negative emotions, those with higher tendencies compensate for this emotional tension by engaging in risky, stimulating behaviors (Babakr & Fatahi, 2023 ). The Moderator Role of Family Gambling History Family is the primary environmental context where an individual’s risk perception, reward expectations, and coping styles are shaped (Suomi et al., 2024 ). In this context, a family history of gambling is a significant environmental factor that shapes both attitudes toward gambling and norms regarding risky behaviors (Forrest & McHale, 2021 ). Witnessing gambling behavior or having a parent engage in this behavior can lead the child to perceive it as a “normalized” or “socially acceptable” activity (Dowling et al., 2021 ). Thus, a family history of gambling increases problematic gambling behavior. Mancone et al. ( 2025 ) found that young adults with a parental history of gambling showed a significant increase in gambling frequency and addiction risk. The relationship was powerful when combined with high-risk tendencies and impulsive personality traits. Delfabbro et al. ( 2021 ) showed that exposure to parental gambling caused individuals to internalize gambling as a “reward-providing” activity. Individuals raised in families with a history of gambling may internalize risky behaviors more easily through both behavioral modeling and cognitive learning. Furthermore, for these individuals, gambling may take on meaning not only as a “game of chance” but also as a form of emotional relief and a means of establishing familial bonds. Therefore, the presence of a family history of gambling acts as an environmental moderator that amplifies the influences of ACE by increasing cognitive distortions regarding gambling behavior and lowering risk perception. Theoretical Background and Hypotheses We aimed to examine the mediating role of both emotion regulation and self-control in the relationship between ACE and problematic gambling among young adults, as well as the moderating relationship of thrill seeking and family history of gambling on these relationships. As summarized above, ACE negatively affects lifelong stress-coping skills, impulse control, and self-regulation and increases the tendency toward risky behaviors (e.g., Bahri et al., 2024 ; Brodbeck et al., 2022 ). Therefore, we expected that the impacts of ACE on problematic gambling would manifest indirectly through emotion regulation and low self-control. We also considered both individual tendencies and environmental factors that shape the relationship. In this context, thrill-seeking was considered an important moderating variable in the emergence of gambling behavior. Thus, we hypothesized that thrill seeking would function as a moderating factor that amplifies the influence of ACE on problematic gambling. Family history of gambling is also an important environmental factor that shapes an individual’s attitudes and beliefs toward gambling behavior. Therefore, we predicted that the impacts of ACE on problematic gambling would be more substantial in a family history of gambling. Our study makes an original contribution by synthesizing variables that have been typically treated unidirectionally. By addressing both emotional and behavioral mechanisms as well as personality-based tendencies and familial factors in explaining the impacts of ACE on gambling behaviors, we take on a multi-level structure. We expect to contribute to the understanding of the long-term impacts of early-life experiences and to the development of preventive intervention programs. We sought to answer the following hypotheses based on the theoretical model shown in Fig. 1: Hypothesis 1 (H1): Adverse childhood experiences are positively associated with problematic gambling. Hypothesis 2 (H2): Difficulties in emotion regulation mediate the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and problematic gambling. Hypothesis 3 (H3): Self-control mediates the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and problematic gambling. Hypothesis 4 (H4): Difficulties in emotion regulation and self-control sequentially mediate the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and problematic gambling. Hypothesis 5 (H5): Sensation seeking moderates the associations between problematic gambling and adverse childhood experiences, difficulties in emotion regulation, and self-control. Hypothesis 6 (H6): Family gambling history moderates the associations between problematic gambling and difficulties in emotion regulation, adverse childhood experiences, and self-control. Methods Participants The study group included 579 young adults, all college students at a public university in Turkey. Of the sample, 67.5% were men and 32.5% were women. Participants’ ages ranged from 18 to 29 years, with an average age of 21.08 years (SD = 1.93 years). The majority of the participants were enrolled in undergraduate programs (91.2%). Regarding family characteristics, the mothers’ educational levels were primary education (71.3%), secondary education (18.7%), undergraduate degree (8.6%), and graduate degree (1.4%). Among the fathers, most had primary education (48.7%), followed by secondary education (33.7%), undergraduate degree (15.7%), and graduate degree (1.9%). Almost all participants' families were married (93.3%). In terms of economic status, the majority of participants were in the low-income category (60.3%), followed by the middle (25.9%) and high (13.8%) categories. In terms of family gambling history, 72% of participants replied negatively, and 28% replied affirmatively. Thus, approximately one-third of the sample had at least one gambling family member. Instruments The Problematic Gambling Severity Index The Turkish version of the Problematic Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) developed by Ferris and Wynne (2001) was used to assess individuals’ problem gambling severity (Arcan, 2020 ). The scale is unidimensional, comprising 9 items (e.g., gambling with more money than one can afford, gambling again to recoup losses, borrowing money, health problems, feelings of guilt). Each item is answered on a four-point Likert-type scale ranging from “Never” (0) to “Almost always” (3), with higher scores indicating greater levels of problematic gambling behavior. The Turkish version confirms the scale’s single-factor structure (χ²(27) = 54.85, χ²/df = 2.03, GFI = .98, CFI = .99, NNFI = .99, RMSEA = .075) internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = .82). The Self-Control Scale We used the Brief Self-Control Scale (Tangney et al., 2018 ) in its Turkish version (Nebioğlu et al., 2012 ) to assess self-control levels. The scale comprises 9 items, rated on a 5-point Likert scale, and is divided into two subscales: Self-discipline and Impulsivity. Higher scores on the self-discipline subscale suggest greater self-control, whereas higher scores on the impulsivity subscale indicate lower self-control. The Turkish version of the scale confirmed its two-factor structure (χ²/df = 1.98, CFI = .98, GFI = .99, RMSEA = .043) and internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.83 for the overall scale, α = 0.81 for Self-discipline, and α = 0.87 for Impulsivity). The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-8 (DERS-8) We assess emotion regulation challenges among adolescents using the DERS-8. The scale’s original and Turkish versions include 8 items across 4 subscales: Purpose, Impulse, Rejection, and Strategy. The scale’s items are rated on a five-point Likert scale (Penner et al., 2022; Ekşi & Erik, 2023 ), with higher scores indicating greater difficulty in the respective subscales. The Turkish version of the scale confirmed its four-subscale structure (χ²/df = 3.05, GFI = .97, NFI = .96, TLI = .95, CFI = .98, and RMSEA = .075) and internal consistency (Cronbach’s α coefficients ranging from 0.87 for the overall scale to between 0.68 and 0.77 for the subscales) (Ekşi & Erik, 2023 ). The Brief Sensation-Seeking Scale (BSSS) The BSSS assesses sensation-seeking levels in adolescents using 4 four-point Likert-scale items under a single dimension (Stephenson et al., 2003 ). Higher scores reflect higher sensation seeking. The Turkish version of the scale confirmed its unidimensionality (χ²/df = 1.32; GFI = 0.99; AGFI = 0.98; TLI = 0.99; SRMR = 0.01; CFI = 0.99; RMSEA = 0.02) and internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.82). The Childhood Adverse Experiences Scale (CAES) We used the Turkish version of the CAES to assess participants’ levels of childhood adversity. The ACE questionnaire was developed by the CDC–Kaiser Permanente (Felitti et al., 1998 ) and adapted to Turkish by Gündüz et al. ( 2018 ). The scale comprises 10 yes/no items assessing neglect, abuse, and family dysfunction before the age of 18. The total scale score ranges from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating more adverse experiences. The adaptation study confirmed the scale’s unidimensional structure and reported an acceptable internal consistency coefficient (Cronbach’s α = .74). Procedure First, we obtained approval from the Ethics Committee of XXX University’s Faculty of Social and Human Sciences (Date: November 19, 2025, Decision No.: 509/15). The research target group consisted of young adults aged 18–29. We recruited voluntary participants online and used non-probability sampling (i.e., convenience sampling). We collected the data using Google Forms. Responses from participants who provided informed consent were recorded. Data from 17 individuals who either did not complete the form or were older than the target age range were excluded prior to analysis, leaving a total of 579 young individuals for further analyses. Data Analysis We conducted data analyses using the SPSS 31.0 package and Hayes’ PROCESS macro (v4.2) (Hayes, 2022 ). First, we screened the data for analysis and computed descriptive statistics, including Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients, to explore relationships among variables. We used Model 6 to test the serial mediating roles of difficulties in emotion regulation and self-control in the pathway from ACE to problem gambling. To assess the significance of the mediating realationships, 95% confidence intervals were computed using a 5,000-resample bootstrap. Finally, we used Model 89 to examine whether this serial mediation mechanism was moderated by sensation seeking and family history of gambling. Because PROCESS does not support the simultaneous inclusion of two moderator variables, the conditional process analyses were conducted as two separate models: Sensation seeking was included as a moderator in the first analysis, and family gambling history in the second. Results Preliminary Analyses Table 1 shows that skewness values range from -0.41 to 1.38 and kurtosis values range from -0.74 to 0.55; all values satisfy the assumption of normality. Furthermore, no multicollinearity was observed among the variables. Results show that the variance inflation factor (VIF) ranged from 1.18 to 1.71, tolerance ranged from 0.58 to 0.85, and condition index ranged from 3.23 to 25.12. These valuse meet the criteria of VIF < 10, condition index .10. (Tabachnick & Fidell, 2013). Table 1. Descriptive Statistics and Pearson Product-moment Correlation Coefficients of the Study Variables Variable PG ACE DER SC SS PG 1 ACE .39 ** 1 DER .50 ** .28 ** 1 SC -.51 ** -.37 ** -.49 ** 1 SS .53 ** .22 ** .35 ** -.52 ** 1 Mean 2.61 21.70 15.16 42.03 24.22 Standard deviation 2.53 7.15 8.21 9.05 7.12 Condition Index 1 3.23 6.50 8.79 25.12 Variance Inflation Factor - 1.18 1.45 1.71 1.39 Tolerance - .85 .74 .58 .72 Skewness .70 .37 1.38 -.41 .17 Kurtosis -.47 -.67 .55 .01 -.74 PG: Problematic Gambling; ACE: Adverse Childhood Experiences; DER: Difficulties in Emotion Regulation; SC: Self-Control; SS: Sensetion Seeking. N = 579; ** p < 0.001. Table 1 also shows that problematic gambling is correlated highest with sensation seeking (positive) and lowest with ACE (positive), both correlations are statistically significant. On the other hand, ACE is associated highest with self-control (negative). Testing for the Serial Indirect Relationships of ACE and Problematic Gambling We examined the sequential mediating relationships of difficulties in emotion regulation and self-control variables on the relationship between ACE and problematic gambling using Model 6 of the PROCESS (Hayes, 2013). Findings are reported in Table 2. Table 2. Serial Mediation Relationship of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Problematic Gambling Predictor Model 1 (DER) Model 2 (SC) Model 3 (PG) β t β t β t ACE .28 7.06 *** -.26 -7.07 *** .19 5.37 *** DER -.42 -11.40 *** .31 8.11 *** SC -.28 -7.14 *** R 2 .08 .30 .37 F 49.78 *** 122.38 *** 113.32 *** ACE: Adverse Childhood Experiences; DER: Difficulties in Emotion Regulation; SC: Self-Control; PG: Problematic Gambling. N = 579; * p < 0.05 ** p < 0.01; *** p < 0.001. Based on the findings shown in Table 2 and Figure 2, H1 is supported. Accordingly, ACE significantly and positively predicts problematic gambling. In examining mediating relationships, ACEs were positively associated with difficulties in emotion regulation. Conversely, difficulties in emotion regulation showed a positive and significant relationship on problem gambling. This pattern indicates that difficulties in emotion regulation mediate the relationship between ACE and problem gambling; thus, H2 is also supported. Similarly, when assessed with the self-control variable, ACE negatively predicts self-control (β = -0.26, p < 0.001), and self-control, in turn, negatively predicts problem gambling (β = -0.28, p < 0.001). These results indicate that self-control acts as a mediating mechanism in the relationship between ACE and problem gambling, thereby supporting H3. According to Table 3, the direct influence of ACE on problem gambling behavior is significant (effect = .19, 95% CI [.40, .86]). Furthermore, the indirect influence is also significant (effect = 0.19, 95% CI [0.14, 0.24]). When examining the indirect pathways separately, the confidence intervals for the ACE→emotion regulation difficulties→problem gambling, ACE→self-control→problem gambling, and ACE→emotion regulation difficulties→self-control→problem gambling pathways do not include zero. These findings indicate that the influence of ACE on problem gambling occurs both directly and through (single and serial) mediating pathways; details are shown in Table 3. Table 3. Bootstrap of the Serial Mediation Model in the Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Problem Gambling Path Effect size Boot SE Boot CIL Boot CIU Direct influence .19 .12 .40 .86 Indirect influence .19 .03 .14 .24 ACE→ Difficulties in Emotion Regulation→PG .09 .02 .06 .12 ACE→Self-control→PG .07 .02 .05 .11 ACE→Difficulties in Emotion Regulation→Self-control→PG .03 .01 .02 .05 Total effect .38 .13 1.01 1.50 ACE: Adverse Childhood Experiences; SC: Self-Control; PG: Problematic Gambling. CIL: Confidence Interval Lower; CIU: Confidence Interval Upper. Alternative Models In addition to the proposed sequential mediation model, alternative models were tested to assess their robustness. In this context, a model in which the order of the mediators was reversed (self-control → difficulties in emotion regulation) (Figure 3) and a model in which the mediating relationships were treated in parallel (Figure 4) were examined. Analysis results indicated that the indirect influences of adverse childhood experiences on problem gambling were significant in both alternative models. However, the magnitudes of the direct, indirect, and total influences obtained in the alternative models were similar to those in the proposed model. These findings suggest that difficulties in emotion regulation and self-control may play roles in the relationship with problematic gambling, both independently and sequentially, and that the relationships among these variables may not be limited to a single linear mechanism. The Results of the Moderated Mediation Influence of Sensation Seeking The moderate serial mediation model, based on Hayes’ PROCESS 89, was assessed with sensation seeking as the moderator variable. In the regression analysis, interaction terms were significant. The interaction between sensation seeking and ACE ( β = .54, 95% CI= [.13, .95]) and difficulties in emotion regulation ( β = .43, 95% CI= [.27, .58]) are positive, while the interaction between sensation seeking and self-control ( β = -.29, 95% CI= [-.43, -.16]) was negative. The overall regression model was statistically significant and explained 51% of the variance in problematic gambling ( R² = .51, F = 84.83, p < .001). The results are shown in Table 4. Table 4. The Moderated Mediation Influence of Sensation Seeking ACE on the Problematic Gambling Variables β SE t Bootstrap 95% CI Lower Upper SS 5.64 3.99 1.42 -2.19 13.47 ACE -.32 .33 -.98 -.97 .32 ACE × SS .54 .21 2.61 ** .13 .95 DER -.32 .12 -2.63 ** -.56 -.08 DER× SS .43 .08 5.39 *** .27 .58 SC .30 .11 2.83 ** .09 .51 SC × SS -.29 .07 -4.32 *** -.43 -.16 R 2 .51 F 84.83 *** ACE: Adverse Childhood Experiences; DER: Difficulties in Emotion Regulation; SS: Sensetion Seeking; SC: Self-Control; PG: Problematic Gambling. * p < .05; ** p < .01; *** p < .001. A simple slope analysis was performed to clarify the previously discussed interaction. Sensation seeking was examined at levels below and above its mean. The results showed that the relationship between difficulties in emotion regulation and problematic gambling was significant at lower levels of sensation seeking ( β = .089, 95% CI = [.024, .172]). In contrast, at higher levels, the relationship was also significant and stronger ( β = .429, 95% CI = [.254, .631]). Figure 5 illustrates that the relationship between difficulties in emotion regulation and problematic gambling becomes more pronounced as sensation seeking increases. The results showed that the relationship between self-control and problem gambling was non-significant at lower levels of sensation seeking behavior ( β = -.006, 95% CI = [-.074, .057]). In contrast, at higher levels, the relationship became significant and stronger ( β = .263, 95% CI = [.121, .427]). Figure 6 illustrates that the connection between self-control and problematic gambling becomes more pronounced as sensation seeking increases. The serial mediating relationship between ACE and problem gambling varies depending on sensation seeking levels: it is insignificant and low at lower levels ( β = -.003, 95% CI = [-.034, .026]) and non-significant. However, at higher levels ( β = .120, 95% CI = [.050, .210]), it becomes statistically significant. Figure 7 illustrates that the link between ACE and problem gambling grows stronger as sensation seeking increases. In sum, Table 5 shows that the influence across the three mentioned paths grows as sensation-seeking tendency rises. This finding confirms H4. Table 5. Moderation Relationships of Sensation Seeking in the Serial Mediation Model Path Moderating variable Effect Size Boot SE Boot CIL Boot CIU ACE→ DEF regulation →PG Lower sensation seeking .089 .038 .024 .172 Higher sensation seeking .429 .097 .254 .631 ACE→SC→PG Lower sensation seeking -.006 .033 -.074 .057 Higher sensation seeking .263 .077 .121 .427 ACE→ DEF →SC→PG Lower sensation seeking -.003 .015 -.034 .026 Higher sensation seeking .120 .041 .050 .210 ACE: Adverse Childhood Experiences; DER: Difficulties in Emotion Regulation; SC: Self-Control; PG: Problematic Gambling; CIL: Confidence Interval Lower; CIU: Confidence Interval Upper. The Result of the Moderated Mediation Influence of Family Gambling History Within the Hayes PROCESS Model 89 framework, the tested regulated serial mediation model considered family gambling history as a moderating variable; the findings are presented in Table 6. Regression analysis results indicated that several interaction terms were statistically significant. Accordingly, while the interaction between ACE×family gambling history was not found to be significant ( β = −.08, 95% CI = [−.52, .37]), the interaction between difficulties in emotion regulation×family gambling history was positive and significant ( β = .45, 95% CI = [.28, .62]). Furthermore, the interaction between self-control and family gambling history was found to be negative and significant ( β = −.18, 95% CI = [−.31, −.05]). The overall regression model was significant and explained 55% of the variance in problem gambling ( R² = .55; F = 98.78, p < .001). Table 6. Moderated Mediation Influence of Family Gambling History Variable β SE t Bootstrap 95% CI Lower Upper FGH 3.97 4.22 .94 -4.31 12.25 ACE .42 .12 3.52 *** .18 .65 Int1: ACE × FGH -.08 .23 -.34 -.52 .37 DER .19 .04 4.44 *** .11 -.08 Int2: DER× FGH .45 .09 5.15 *** .28 .62 SC -.09 .04 -2.23 * .09 .51 Int3: SC × FGH -.18 .07 -2.71 ** -.31 -.05 R 2 .55 F 98.78 *** FGH: Family Gambling History; ACE: Adverse Childhood Experiences; DER: Difficulties in Emotion Regulation; SC: Self-Control. * p <.05; ** p < .01; *** p < .001. A simple regression analysis was conducted to clarify the previously discussed interaction. In this analysis, the moderating role of family gambling history was examined separately for those with and without a family gambling history (presence–absence). The findings revealed a significant relationship between difficulties in emotion regulation and problem gambling in the absence of a family history of gambling ( β = .153, 95% CI = [.079, .244]), and this relationship was even stronger in the presence of a family history of gambling ( β = .512, 95% CI = [.291, .786]). Figure 8 illustrates that the association between difficulties in emotion regulation and problem gambling intensifies in the presence of a family history of gambling. Results show that the association between self-control and problem gambling is significant when there is no family history of gambling ( β = .080, 95% CI = [.011, .157]). However, in the presence of a family history of gambling, this relationship became significant and stronger ( β = -.246, 95% CI = [.012, .412]). Figure 9 shows that the relationship between self-control and problem gambling intensified in the presence of a family history of gambling. In summary, Table 7 shows that the impact on the two pathways mentioned increases with a family gambling history, thus supporting Hypothesis H6. Discussion We found that adverse childhood experiences (ACE) significantly and positively predicted problematic gambling and that difficulties in emotion regulation and self-control serially mediated this relationship, with sensation seeking and family gambling history moderating the mediation. Findings show that ACE predicts problematic gambling and is Table 7 Moderate Relationships of Family Gambling History in the Serial Mediation Model Path Moderating variable Effect size Boot SE Boot CIL Boot CIU ACE→ difficulties in emotion regulation →problematic gambling Family gambling history (-) .153 .042 .079 .244 Family gambling history (+) .512 .128 .291 .786 ACE→SC→PG FGH (-) .080 .038 .011 .157 FGH (+) .246 .078 .101 .412 ACE→DEF →SC→PG FGH (-) .036 .018 .005 .077 FGH (+) .112 .039 .045 .196 ACE: Adverse Childhood Experiences; DER: Difficulties in emotion regulation; SS: Sensetion Seeking; SC: Self-Control; PG: Problematic Gambling; FGH: Family Gambling History; CIL: Confidence Interval Lower; CIU: Confidence Interval Upper. correlated. These findings are consistent with recent literature (i.e., Bahri et al., 2024 ; Bristow et al., 2022 ; Goodrich et al., 2023 ). ACE shows positive correlations with many different types of addictions (Leza et al., 2021 ) and negative correlations with the quality of life (Howard et al., 2023 ). Consequently, ACE may push an individual towards risky behaviors that lead to addiction problems, such as problematic gambling, which is economically, physiologically, and psychologically risky but difficult to prevent. We hypothesized a mediation in the relationship between emotion regulation difficulties and problematic gambling through ACE. Although our second hypothesis does not align completely with the model, childhood experiences are positively associated with emotion recognition and regulation (Ye et al., 2024 ) and increase the risk of gambling (Feiler et al., 2023 ). In addition, individuals who experience difficulty in emotion regulation are at increased risk for gambling addiction (Mestre-Bach et al., 2021 ). Problematic gambling among adolescents is also related to traumatic events and emotion regulation, and these findings yield similar results to studies. When correlational and predictive studies are evaluated, ACE can be partially described as traumatic. This is consistent with the findings of previous research as well. Considering the importance of emotion regulation in human life, a mediating influence may have emerged. We hypothesized that self-control mediated the relationship between ACE and problematic gambling. We were unable to locate prior research that modeled this relationship. However, it has been reported that skills and impulses gained during childhood negatively affect self-control (e.g., Chapple et al., 2021 ; Jones et al., 2023 ; Namusoke et al., 2024 ). Furthermore, considering that there is a positive correlation between self-control and problematic gambling (e.g., Flores-Pajot et al., 2021 ), we expected such mediation. The decline in self-control skills resulting from ACE may have led to risky behaviors, and from these risky behaviors, to problematic gambling, which is the most economical and accessible option. Furthermore, when the young-adult period is included in this process, the search for risk is likely further driven by the pursuit of financial gain, which may have contributed to the outcome. We found that difficulties in emotion regulation and self-control mediated the relationship between ACE and problematic gambling. This finding also supports previous studies (e.g., Chapple et al., 2021 ; Feiler et al., 2023 ; Flores-Pajot et al., 2021 ; Jones et al., 2023 ; Mestre-Bach et al., 2021 ; Namusoke et al., 2024 ; Ye et al., 2024 ). Including both difficulties in emotion regulation and self-control in the model may have improved the model’s fit indices. This is because greater difficulties in emotion regulation impede self-control. Therefore, the model may have appeared similar to those in the literature. We further included both sensation-seeking and family gambling history as moderating variables in the model. The relationship between self-control and problematic gambling was not significant at lower levels of sensation-seeking behavior. However, at higher levels, this relationship became significant and stronger. The moderating roles of sensation seeking have been frequently considered as a moderating variable affecting the lives of young adults, particularly in mediation and moderation models (e.g., Babakr & Fatahi, 2023 ; Celik et al., 2022 ; Janković et al., 2023 ; Zuckerman, 1994 Mancone et al. ( 2025 ) state that there are increases in sensation-seeking and gambling behaviors, especially among young adults, and that increased sensation-seeking goes hand in hand with these increases. Multiple factors may have influenced this outcome. First, expectations of quick gains, uncertainty about the age group, escape from stress, and intense emotional experiences are likely contributors to the findings reported in the present research. Therefore, while lower levels of sensation-seeking may have a minimal role in gambling behavior, higher levels are expected to increase its risk. Another factor may be the regulatory role of family gambling history, which is the study's final hypothesis. Family has a major function in the problematic gambling disorder (Forrest & McHale, 2021 ). Supporting this view, Delfabbro et al. ( 2021 ) state that problematic gambling is higher among those exposed to parental gambling behavior. Therefore, the desire to emulate the people they model after may significantly moderate the relationship. Conclusion Implications The present research adds considerably to existing knowledge by presenting a comprehensive model that integrates multiple serial mediators and moderating variables to explain problematic gambling behavior. We developed the model using independent variables such as difficulty in emotion regulation, self-control, ACE, sensation seeking, and family history of gambling. Findings highlight the role of family involvement in intervention programs and the significance of ACE. Although gambling is legal in many countries for those who are 18 years old or over, understanding the issue is complicated by its association with cybergambling. Therefore, it is crucial to incorporate this model’s content into prevention interventions. Limitations This study has some limitations. First, it deals with a topic that has been widely criticized lately. According to some researchers, longitudinal designs are appropriate for causal and mediation studies (Li et al., 2023 ). However, as Hayes ( 2022 ) points out, what causes causal inferences is not statistical methods; but, inferences are products of the mind, not mathematics. Therefore, they stem from the interpretation of statistical results and from how the data were collected. For this reason, although this study employed a cross-sectional design, its non-longitudinal nature is a limitation. Additionally, we collected data using self-report instruments, which may influence participants’ responses. The main focus of the study, problematic gambling, may have introduced possible distortion. This is because gambling is illegal in the country where the data were collected (Duvarci et al., 1997 ), and the sample consists of young adults, which may have contributed to the limitations. Furthermore, the absence of qualitative data, given the study’s quantitative design, is also a limitation. Finally, content related to cyber gambling was excluded from the study, even though cyber ​​gambling has been increasing in recent times (Gezgin et al., 2025 ). Based on the findings, we make several recommendations. Future studies may benefit from focusing on interventions for high school populations, drawing not only on field-specific experts but also on a societal perspective and a prevention focus. Furthermore, the increased pursuit of excitement among teenagers may have contributed to the rise in problematic gambling rates. This point has to be investigated further. Therefore, the inclusion of qualitative studies on the problem may reveal deeper insight. Declarations Informed consent: “All procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the committee responsible for human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000. Informed consent was obtained from all participants for being included in the study.” Ethics Approval: “The study was conducted with approval from the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences at Bayburt University (Date: November 19, 2025; Decision No.: 509/15).” Conflict of interest: “The authors declare no conflict of interest.” Competing Interests: “The authors have no competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article.” Funding: “The authors received no support from any organization for the submitted work.” Data Availability: “The research data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors on request.” AI Declaration: “DeepL and Grammarly Pro were used for language readability and translation.” Authors’ contribution statements: “All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by [İbrahim Erdoğan Yayla], [Samet Makas], [Kübra Dombak], and [Eyüp Çelik]. The first draft of the manuscript was written by [İbrahim Erdoğan Yayla], [Samet Makas], [Kübra Dombak], [Eyüp Çelik], [İbrahim Arpaci], and [Mustafa Baloglu]. All authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.” Corresponding Author. Mustafa Baloglu, Ph.D., e-mail: [email protected] References American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders 5th edn (American Psychiatric Publishing, 2013). Arcan, K. Turkish version of the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI-T): Psychometric properties among university students. Addicta: Turkish J. Addictions . 7 (2), 90–98. https://doi.org/10.5152/ADDICTA.2020.19064 (2020). Arpaci, I. Relationships between early maladaptive schemas and smartphone addiction: The moderating role of mindfulness. Int. J. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8949934","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":616851657,"identity":"478b5e7c-0fa5-4466-9087-ea5c32403dd9","order_by":0,"name":"İbrahim Erdoğan Yayla","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Bayburt University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"İbrahim","middleName":"Erdoğan","lastName":"Yayla","suffix":""},{"id":616851658,"identity":"4fcb052c-9a68-47fe-aa9a-f2dede9a5de3","order_by":1,"name":"Samet Makas","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Sakarya University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Samet","middleName":"","lastName":"Makas","suffix":""},{"id":616851659,"identity":"7a13e0d7-ca40-44df-9804-05135475e1b6","order_by":2,"name":"Kübra Dombak","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Sakarya University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Kübra","middleName":"","lastName":"Dombak","suffix":""},{"id":616851660,"identity":"522d5a97-8e37-420b-9bea-3129ed02770e","order_by":3,"name":"Seyhan Bekir","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Demiroglu Bilim University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Seyhan","middleName":"","lastName":"Bekir","suffix":""},{"id":616851661,"identity":"abe307d7-8026-4b1b-94e5-a12f2e783725","order_by":4,"name":"Eyüp Çelik","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Sakarya University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Eyüp","middleName":"","lastName":"Çelik","suffix":""},{"id":616851662,"identity":"907a6bd8-7894-4d98-b98d-407922d8adbf","order_by":5,"name":"Ibrahim Arpaci","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Bursa Uludağ University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ibrahim","middleName":"","lastName":"Arpaci","suffix":""},{"id":616851667,"identity":"90ff64d7-f3ad-45dd-8bf6-029ca79162d9","order_by":6,"name":"Mustafa Baloglu","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA2ElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACAwbmBgaGAgY5AwjXghgtjA0g0hioF8SVIF5L4gawFgYitJizH2x8+MXgcPp29v6jG34USDDwt3cn4NVi2ZPYbCxjcDh3Z89htps9QIdJnDm7Ab/DDiS2SUsAtWy4kcx2gweoxUAil4CW8w/BWtINgFpu/iFKy43ENskPBocTQFpuE2WL5YyHzcYMBumGG84cNrstYyDBQ9Av5vzJBx/+qLCWNzje+Ozmmz82cvztvfi1gAAzDxKHB6cyZMD4gyhlo2AUjIJRMGIBANDaSET4hngTAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"United Arab Emirates University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Mustafa","middleName":"","lastName":"Baloglu","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-02-23 18:38:29","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8949934/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8949934/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":106146900,"identity":"84784c5d-9c8b-4258-ace0-f259a3f7e575","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-04 11:45:46","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":250537,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Hypothetical Problematic Gambling Model\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8949934/v1/d5e1255b4e860a335d04fc46.png"},{"id":106146901,"identity":"8fdd9ac7-f86c-450f-8018-e633bf4c1517","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-04 11:45:46","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":149122,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Serial Mediation Model\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8949934/v1/f5c754bb246ea39129692ef7.png"},{"id":106402519,"identity":"fc6e8ad6-d3d2-4910-aef1-39d2db32560f","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-08 09:12:12","extension":"png","order_by":3,"title":"Figure 3","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":173103,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSerial Mediation Model\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"3.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8949934/v1/ac65da4b5dc904c446a1db80.png"},{"id":106402531,"identity":"82ad2d42-3f66-46f1-bc59-7d0a37b945db","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-08 09:12:15","extension":"png","order_by":4,"title":"Figure 4","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":175412,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eParallel Mediation Model\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"4.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8949934/v1/2e902ba8cc3ae857877e8d53.png"},{"id":106146903,"identity":"abd56dac-7252-4379-92d2-7bcd9cfdf824","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-04 11:45:46","extension":"png","order_by":5,"title":"Figure 5","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":84508,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSensation Seeking Moderated Mediation of the Relation Between Difficulties in Emotion Regulation and Problematic Gambling\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"5.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8949934/v1/6e6ab03b3a66750dba75aecb.png"},{"id":106402521,"identity":"bcc843eb-86c9-4884-90e2-715ca024ca3d","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-08 09:12:13","extension":"png","order_by":6,"title":"Figure 6","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":78198,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSensation Seeking Moderated Mediation of the Relation Between Self-Control and Problematic Gambling\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"6.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8949934/v1/8775834d8bc767332cb2c757.png"},{"id":106146905,"identity":"2bac1322-c4fb-4d1e-9675-689f1f764885","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-04 11:45:46","extension":"png","order_by":7,"title":"Figure 7","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":86300,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSensation Seeking Moderated Mediation of the Relation Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Problematic Gambling\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"7.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8949934/v1/60546cb2132b48b5957469e1.png"},{"id":106402433,"identity":"d6448f0e-ddb9-4c37-9c1c-9b3163b0a0e1","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-08 09:12:01","extension":"png","order_by":8,"title":"Figure 8","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":99753,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eFamily Gambling History Moderation of the Mediation of the Relation Between Difficulties in Emotion Regulation and Problematic Gambling\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"8.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8949934/v1/8132cbd810be3011742f71af.png"},{"id":106146907,"identity":"2a791511-a007-4f6e-8fef-2a989d67acf5","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-04 11:45:46","extension":"png","order_by":9,"title":"Figure 9","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":94692,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eFamily Gambling History Moderated Mediation of the Relation Between Self-Control and Problematic Gambling\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"9.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8949934/v1/c9aa02582a4ad8fb504b3ad6.png"},{"id":106405580,"identity":"c0844f99-5119-4f24-b3d9-e03c41ceb6e1","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-08 09:27:34","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":2042916,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8949934/v1/c60b2104-14e9-4139-b004-69a1ee9edb19.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Adverse Childhood Experiences and Problematic Gambling Among Young Adults: Three Moderated Mediation","fulltext":[{"header":"Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eAiming to gain profit by placing something of value on an event whose outcome depends on chance is called gambling (Lopes \u0026amp; Tavares, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR42\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). Excessive gambling behavior has long been regarded as problematic. However, both online and face-to-face problematic gambling behavior is becoming increasingly prevalent worldwide. A recent meta-analytic study of over 60 countries shows that 1.3\u0026ndash;1.4% of adults worldwide meet the criteria for gambling disorder, and up to ~\u0026thinsp;8.7% are at risk of problematic gambling (Tran et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR67\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Pathological Gambling Model is one of the most frequently referred models in explaining gambling and purports that problematic gambling develops and is sustained by factors such as impulsive, thrill-seeking, risk-taking, and antisocial personality traits (Blaszczynski \u0026amp; Nower, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2002\u003c/span\u003e). It is driven by both positive reinforcement (e.g., feelings of winning, rewards, and pleasure) and negative reinforcement (e.g., escaping negative emotions and reducing stress) (Mestre-Bach et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). \u0026ldquo;Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders\u0026rdquo; (DSM-5) categorizes gambling disorder under substance-related and addictive disorders (American Psychiatric Association, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e). This disorder is characterized by an individual\u0026rsquo;s persistent, repetitive, and uncontrollable gambling. Persistence of behavior despite adverse consequences and significant functional impairments in various areas of people\u0026rsquo;s lives indicates a gambling disorder (World Health Organization, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR70\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). Gambling disorder has neuropsychological foundations in terms of reward systems, impulse control, and learning processes (Mestre-Bach et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFor many people, gambling is entertainment, a source of socialization and excitement, or a temporary escape (Neophytou et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR51\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). However, this behavior negatively affects the individual\u0026rsquo;s quality of life. Financial troubles (e.g., Koomson et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e), family conflicts (e.g., Tulloch et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR69\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e), deterioration in work performance (e.g., Ngetich et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR52\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e), social isolation (e.g., Sirola et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR60\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e), psychological problems such as depression (e.g., Richard et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR56\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e), anxiety (e.g, Rapinda et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR54\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e) or stress (e.g., Sagoe et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR58\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e), decreased life satisfaction (e.g., Howard et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e), and substance use (e.g., Mills et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR47\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e) are to name only some. Those who are men, younger in age, lower in socioeconomic status, come from a family history with gambling, and have certain personality traits such as impulsivity, risk-taking, and psychiatric comorbidities are under even greater risk (e.g., Moreira et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR48\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Arpaci \u0026amp; Kocadag Unver, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). In addition, problematic gambling often originates from adverse early life experiences (Bristow et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). Familial difficulties such as emotional neglect, childhood trauma, and a history of addiction in parents increase an individual\u0026rsquo;s tendency to gamble in later life (Geniş \u0026amp; Aksu, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAdverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) and Problematic Gambling\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn recent years, studies strongly support that ACEs are closely associated with problematic gambling behavior (e.g., Bahri et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e; Bristow et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Goodrich et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Horak et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). Traumatic and negative events during childhood are known to play significant roles in tendencies toward risky and addictive behaviors later in life (e.g., Royer et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR57\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Sakulsriprasert et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR59\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). Early traumatic life events involving emotional, physical, or sexual abuse, neglect, and domestic dysfunction, such as parental substance abuse, mental illness history, domestic violence, or divorce to which the individual was exposed before the age of 18, are some of the ACEs (Hustedde, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). These experiences undermine the security, attachment, and emotion-regulation systems during childhood and leave lasting impacts (Tokumitsu et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR66\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). Early exposure to trauma tends to lead to struggling to cope with stress and negative emotions in adulthood and to engage in behaviors that provide short-term relief but lead to addiction in the long term (Levin et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR39\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eResearch shows that ACE not only increases the risk of gambling but also affects the severity and likelihood of continued gambling behavior. Bristow et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e) reported that all types of ACE, except emotional neglect and parental mental illness, significantly increased the likelihood of gambling addiction. Their study showed that emotional and physical abuse, in particular, were among the strongest predictors of gambling behavior in adulthood. Similarly, Marchica et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR44\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e) found that ACEs were a significant predictor of gambling behavior among adolescents. Tucker et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR68\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e) reported that early childhood traumas were effective in the development of gambling addiction through mediating psychological factors. More specifically, difficulties in emotion regulation and impulsivity play a decisive role in this relationship. Goodrich et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e) associated ACE not only with problematic gambling but also with substance addiction, internet gaming addiction, and other behavioral addictions.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eThe Mediator Role of Difficulties in Emotion Regulation\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eEmotion regulation skills refer to the capacity to recognize, understand, and appropriately manage emotional experiences, all of which are fundamental components of psychological well-being (Aydın \u0026amp; S\u0026uuml;sl\u0026uuml;, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Brodbeck et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). These skills are shaped early in development, particularly through parent-child interactions and healthy attachment within the family environment (Ye et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR71\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). Secure attachment allows children to express and regulate their emotions and develop coping strategies, whereas neglect, emotional abuse, parental deprivation, rejection, or inconsistencies seriously undermine this process and lead to the perception that emotions are \u0026ldquo;threats\u0026rdquo; and to long-term maladaptive emotion-regulation patterns (Dagnino et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e; Feiler et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). Thus, they are fundamental psychological structures that construct the capacity to cope with stress, anxiety, and negative emotions throughout life (Brodbeck et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). However, ACE disrupts these developmental processes and impairs the ability to maintain emotional balance by undermining the recognition and regulation of emotions (Ye et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR71\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). Such experiences disrupt emotional functioning at both neurological and cognitive levels and increase the risk of resorting to maladaptive coping strategies in adulthood (Dagnino et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePeople with a history of ACE tend to seek short-term relief by resorting to maladaptive strategies to avoid or suppress negative emotions (Arpaci, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e), which foster problematic coping styles in the long term and facilitate the development of behavioral addictions like gambling (Feiler et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). Studies have revealed significant relationships between emotion regulation difficulties and gambling addiction. For example, Mestre-Bach et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR46\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e) found that emotion regulation difficulties significantly predicted gambling addiction. Similarly, Est\u0026eacute;vez et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e) reported that emotion regulation difficulties mediated the relationship between traumatic experiences and gambling addiction. These findings support the idea that emotion regulation difficulties play both etiological and perpetuating roles. The impact of ACE on emotion regulation appears to weaken psychological resilience, and difficulties in it emerge as a critical mediating variable explaining the relationship between ACE and problematic gambling.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe Mediator Role of Self-Control\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSelf-control skills acquired during childhood are also among the fundamental psychological structures that determine an individual\u0026rsquo;s capacity to manage impulses, avoid immediate gratification, and regulate behavior (Chapple et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). Self-control is shaped in early childhood through parental influences, attachment styles, and environmental factors (Fava et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). However, traumatic childhood experiences during this period hinder the fulfillment of the child\u0026rsquo;s emotional needs, negatively affecting the development of trust and self-control (Chapple et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). Individuals with ACE exhibit weaker self-control (Jones et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Namusoke et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR49\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). These negative experiences weaken the individual\u0026rsquo;s self-regulatory capacity, thereby facilitating the development of impulsive, risk-taking, and short-term, reward-focused behavioral patterns (Jebraeili et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR41\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). Gambling, in particular, can be used as a coping strategy that provides short-term relief in the face of negative emotions (Neophytou et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR51\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). However, it also feeds into a cycle of problematic gambling and addiction in the long term (Richard et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR55\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). Indeed, studies indicate a negative relationship between self-control and gambling addiction (Flores-Pajot et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). Self-control interacts with cognitive distortions related to gambling and stressful life events to weaken the tendency toward problematic gambling (Thurm et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR65\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). Similarly, lower levels of self-control make it difficult for individuals to show behavioral resistance to short-term rewards offered by gambling, which contributes to the persistence of gambling behavior (Thurm et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR65\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). In this regard, self-control plays a mediating role in the relationship between ACE and problematic gambling. Weaker self-control skills among those exposed to ACE increase the tendency towards risky behaviors stemming from an inability to regulate the self; therefore, self-control serves as a fundamental psychological bridge that explains the behavioral consequences of ACE.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe Moderator Role of Sensation Seeking\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eACE might affect developmental balance and leave lasting marks at both the neurological and psychosocial levels (Bahri et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). Such experiences can heighten the sensitivity of the stress-response system, thereby increasing reward seeking, impulsivity, and risk-taking (Babakr \u0026amp; Fatahi, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). In this context, ACE may have a decisive influence on thrill-seeking (Janković et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e), a personality trait characterized by a tendency to seek pleasure from new, intense, and risky experiences (Zuckerman, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR72\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1994\u003c/span\u003e). Individuals with ACE have been found to engage in risky, stimulating behaviors to suppress their negative emotions or to experience intense arousal (Babakr \u0026amp; Fatahi, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). Gambling manifests as an emotional escape for some individuals and a search for excitement and stimulation for others (Mancone et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThere is a positive correlation between thrill-seeking and problematic gambling (Celik et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). Similarly, Mancone et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e) found that individuals with higher levels of thrill-seeking showed an increased risk of problematic gambling and exhibited lower insight skills. Teenagers with higher thrill-seeking tendencies view gambling as a means of \u0026ldquo;pleasure and stimulation\u0026rdquo; and have more flexible attitudes toward gambling and a higher propensity for risk-taking (Farhat et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). In this context, thrill-seeking can be considered a moderating factor shaping the relationship between ACE and problematic gambling. In other words, the likelihood of problematic gambling behavior among individuals exposed to ACE may vary depending on the individual\u0026rsquo;s level of thrill-seeking. Whereas individuals with lower thrill-seeking tendencies tend to avoid or suppress negative emotions, those with higher tendencies compensate for this emotional tension by engaging in risky, stimulating behaviors (Babakr \u0026amp; Fatahi, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe Moderator Role of Family Gambling History\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFamily is the primary environmental context where an individual\u0026rsquo;s risk perception, reward expectations, and coping styles are shaped (Suomi et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR62\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). In this context, a family history of gambling is a significant environmental factor that shapes both attitudes toward gambling and norms regarding risky behaviors (Forrest \u0026amp; McHale, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). Witnessing gambling behavior or having a parent engage in this behavior can lead the child to perceive it as a \u0026ldquo;normalized\u0026rdquo; or \u0026ldquo;socially acceptable\u0026rdquo; activity (Dowling et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). Thus, a family history of gambling increases problematic gambling behavior. Mancone et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e) found that young adults with a parental history of gambling showed a significant increase in gambling frequency and addiction risk. The relationship was powerful when combined with high-risk tendencies and impulsive personality traits. Delfabbro et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e) showed that exposure to parental gambling caused individuals to internalize gambling as a \u0026ldquo;reward-providing\u0026rdquo; activity. Individuals raised in families with a history of gambling may internalize risky behaviors more easily through both behavioral modeling and cognitive learning. Furthermore, for these individuals, gambling may take on meaning not only as a \u0026ldquo;game of chance\u0026rdquo; but also as a form of emotional relief and a means of establishing familial bonds. Therefore, the presence of a family history of gambling acts as an environmental moderator that amplifies the influences of ACE by increasing cognitive distortions regarding gambling behavior and lowering risk perception.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eTheoretical Background and Hypotheses\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe aimed to examine the mediating role of both emotion regulation and self-control in the relationship between ACE and problematic gambling among young adults, as well as the moderating relationship of thrill seeking and family history of gambling on these relationships. As summarized above, ACE negatively affects lifelong stress-coping skills, impulse control, and self-regulation and increases the tendency toward risky behaviors (e.g., Bahri et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e; Brodbeck et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). Therefore, we expected that the impacts of ACE on problematic gambling would manifest \u003cem\u003eindirectly\u003c/em\u003e through emotion regulation and low self-control. We also considered both individual tendencies and environmental factors that shape the relationship. In this context, thrill-seeking was considered an important moderating variable in the emergence of gambling behavior. Thus, we hypothesized that thrill seeking would function as a moderating factor that amplifies the influence of ACE on problematic gambling.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFamily history of gambling is also an important environmental factor that shapes an individual\u0026rsquo;s attitudes and beliefs toward gambling behavior. Therefore, we predicted that the impacts of ACE on problematic gambling would be more substantial in a family history of gambling. Our study makes an original contribution by synthesizing variables that have been typically treated unidirectionally. By addressing both emotional and behavioral mechanisms as well as personality-based tendencies and familial factors in explaining the impacts of ACE on gambling behaviors, we take on a multi-level structure. We expect to contribute to the understanding of the long-term impacts of early-life experiences and to the development of preventive intervention programs. We sought to answer the following hypotheses based on the theoretical model shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;1:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eHypothesis 1\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cp\u003e(H1): Adverse childhood experiences are positively associated with problematic gambling.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eHypothesis 2\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cp\u003e(H2): Difficulties in emotion regulation mediate the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and problematic gambling.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eHypothesis 3\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cp\u003e(H3): Self-control mediates the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and problematic gambling.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eHypothesis 4\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cp\u003e(H4): Difficulties in emotion regulation and self-control sequentially mediate the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and problematic gambling.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eHypothesis 5\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cp\u003e(H5): Sensation seeking moderates the associations between problematic gambling and adverse childhood experiences, difficulties in emotion regulation, and self-control.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eHypothesis 6\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(H6): Family gambling history moderates the associations between problematic gambling and difficulties in emotion regulation, adverse childhood experiences, and self-control.\u003c/p\u003e "},{"header":"Methods","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec9\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec10\" class=\"Section4\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eParticipants\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe study group included 579 young adults, all college students at a public university in Turkey. Of the sample, 67.5% were men and 32.5% were women. Participants\u0026rsquo; ages ranged from 18 to 29 years, with an average age of 21.08 years (SD\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.93 years). The majority of the participants were enrolled in undergraduate programs (91.2%). Regarding family characteristics, the mothers\u0026rsquo; educational levels were primary education (71.3%), secondary education (18.7%), undergraduate degree (8.6%), and graduate degree (1.4%). Among the fathers, most had primary education (48.7%), followed by secondary education (33.7%), undergraduate degree (15.7%), and graduate degree (1.9%). Almost all participants' families were married (93.3%). In terms of economic status, the majority of participants were in the low-income category (60.3%), followed by the middle (25.9%) and high (13.8%) categories. In terms of family gambling history, 72% of participants replied negatively, and 28% replied affirmatively. Thus, approximately one-third of the sample had at least one gambling family member.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eInstruments\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Problematic Gambling Severity Index\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Turkish version of the Problematic Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) developed by Ferris and Wynne (2001) was used to assess individuals\u0026rsquo; problem gambling severity (Arcan, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). The scale is unidimensional, comprising 9 items (e.g., gambling with more money than one can afford, gambling again to recoup losses, borrowing money, health problems, feelings of guilt). Each item is answered on a four-point Likert-type scale ranging from \u0026ldquo;Never\u0026rdquo; (0) to \u0026ldquo;Almost always\u0026rdquo; (3), with higher scores indicating greater levels of problematic gambling behavior. The Turkish version confirms the scale\u0026rsquo;s single-factor structure (χ\u0026sup2;(27)\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;54.85, χ\u0026sup2;/df\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;2.03, GFI = .98, CFI = .99, NNFI = .99, RMSEA = .075) internal consistency (Cronbach\u0026rsquo;s α\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;.82).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Self-Control Scale\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWe used the Brief Self-Control Scale (Tangney et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR63\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e) in its Turkish version (Nebioğlu et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR50\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e) to assess self-control levels. The scale comprises 9 items, rated on a 5-point Likert scale, and is divided into two subscales: Self-discipline and Impulsivity. Higher scores on the self-discipline subscale suggest greater self-control, whereas higher scores on the impulsivity subscale indicate lower self-control. The Turkish version of the scale confirmed its two-factor structure (χ\u0026sup2;/df\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.98, CFI = .98, GFI = .99, RMSEA = .043) and internal consistency (Cronbach\u0026rsquo;s α\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.83 for the overall scale, α\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.81 for Self-discipline, and α\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.87 for Impulsivity).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-8 (DERS-8)\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWe assess emotion regulation challenges among adolescents using the DERS-8. The scale\u0026rsquo;s original and Turkish versions include 8 items across 4 subscales: Purpose, Impulse, Rejection, and Strategy. The scale\u0026rsquo;s items are rated on a five-point Likert scale (Penner et al., 2022; Ekşi \u0026amp; Erik, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e), with higher scores indicating greater difficulty in the respective subscales. The Turkish version of the scale confirmed its four-subscale structure (χ\u0026sup2;/df\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;3.05, GFI = .97, NFI = .96, TLI = .95, CFI = .98, and RMSEA = .075) and internal consistency (Cronbach\u0026rsquo;s α coefficients ranging from 0.87 for the overall scale to between 0.68 and 0.77 for the subscales) (Ekşi \u0026amp; Erik, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Brief Sensation-Seeking Scale (BSSS)\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe BSSS assesses sensation-seeking levels in adolescents using 4 four-point Likert-scale items under a single dimension (Stephenson et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR61\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2003\u003c/span\u003e). Higher scores reflect higher sensation seeking. The Turkish version of the scale confirmed its unidimensionality (χ\u0026sup2;/df\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.32; GFI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.99; AGFI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.98; TLI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.99; SRMR\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.01; CFI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.99; RMSEA\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.02) and internal consistency (Cronbach\u0026rsquo;s α\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.82).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Childhood Adverse Experiences Scale (CAES)\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWe used the Turkish version of the CAES to assess participants\u0026rsquo; levels of childhood adversity. The ACE questionnaire was developed by the CDC\u0026ndash;Kaiser Permanente (Felitti et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1998\u003c/span\u003e) and adapted to Turkish by G\u0026uuml;nd\u0026uuml;z et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e). The scale comprises 10 yes/no items assessing neglect, abuse, and family dysfunction before the age of 18. The total scale score ranges from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating more adverse experiences. The adaptation study confirmed the scale\u0026rsquo;s unidimensional structure and reported an acceptable internal consistency coefficient (Cronbach\u0026rsquo;s α\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;.74).\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eProcedure\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003e First, we obtained approval from the Ethics Committee of XXX University\u0026rsquo;s Faculty of Social and Human Sciences (Date: November 19, 2025, Decision No.: 509/15). The research target group consisted of young adults aged 18\u0026ndash;29. We recruited voluntary participants online and used non-probability sampling (i.e., convenience sampling). We collected the data using Google Forms. Responses from participants who provided informed consent were recorded. Data from 17 individuals who either did not complete the form or were older than the target age range were excluded prior to analysis, leaving a total of 579 young individuals for further analyses.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec13\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eData Analysis\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eWe conducted data analyses using the SPSS 31.0 package and Hayes\u0026rsquo; PROCESS macro (v4.2) (Hayes, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). First, we screened the data for analysis and computed descriptive statistics, including Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients, to explore relationships among variables. We used Model 6 to test the serial mediating roles of difficulties in emotion regulation and self-control in the pathway from ACE to problem gambling. To assess the significance of the mediating realationships, 95% confidence intervals were computed using a 5,000-resample bootstrap. Finally, we used Model 89 to examine whether this serial mediation mechanism was moderated by sensation seeking and family history of gambling. Because PROCESS does not support the simultaneous inclusion of two moderator variables, the conditional process analyses were conducted as two separate models: Sensation seeking was included as a moderator in the first analysis, and family gambling history in the second.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Results","content":"\u003cp\u003ePreliminary Analyses\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable 1 shows that skewness values range from -0.41 to 1.38 and kurtosis values range from -0.74 to 0.55; all values satisfy the assumption of normality. Furthermore, no multicollinearity was observed among the variables. Results show that the variance inflation factor (VIF) ranged from 1.18 to 1.71, tolerance ranged from 0.58 to 0.85, and condition index ranged from 3.23 to 25.12. These valuse meet the criteria of VIF \u0026lt; 10, condition index \u0026lt; 30, and tolerance \u0026gt; .10. (Tabachnick \u0026amp; Fidell, 2013).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; border: none; margin-right: calc(0%);\" class=\"fr-table-selection-hover\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"6\" style=\"width: 59.1179%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTable 1. \u003cem\u003eDescriptive Statistics and Pearson Product-moment Correlation Coefficients of the Study Variables\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 24.363%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePG\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eACE\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDER\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 10.5073%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSC \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 9.3526%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSS\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 24.363%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePG\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 10.5073%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 9.3526%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 24.363%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eACE\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.39\u003csup\u003e**\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 10.5073%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 9.3526%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 24.363%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDER\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.50\u003csup\u003e**\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.28\u003csup\u003e**\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 10.5073%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 9.3526%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 24.363%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSC\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-.51\u003csup\u003e**\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-.37\u003csup\u003e**\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-.49\u003csup\u003e**\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 10.5073%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 9.3526%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 24.363%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSS\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.53\u003csup\u003e**\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.22\u003csup\u003e**\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.35\u003csup\u003e**\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 10.5073%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-.52\u003csup\u003e**\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 9.3526%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 24.363%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMean\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.61\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e21.70\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e15.16\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 10.5073%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e42.03\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 9.3526%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e24.22\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 24.363%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eStandard deviation\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.53\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7.15\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.21\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 10.5073%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.05\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 9.3526%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7.12\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 24.363%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCondition Index\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.23\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e6.50\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 10.5073%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.79\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 9.3526%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e25.12\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 24.363%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eVariance Inflation Factor\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.18\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.45\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 10.5073%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.71\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 9.3526%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.39\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 24.363%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTolerance\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.85\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.74\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 10.5073%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.58\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 9.3526%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.72\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 24.363%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSkewness\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.70\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.37\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.38\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 10.5073%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-.41\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 9.3526%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.17\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 24.363%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eKurtosis\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-.47\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-.67\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 8.0825%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.55\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 10.5073%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.01\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 9.3526%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-.74\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"5\" style=\"width: 59.1179%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePG: Problematic Gambling; ACE: Adverse Childhood Experiences; DER: Difficulties in Emotion Regulation; SC: Self-Control; SS: Sensetion Seeking.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eN\u003c/em\u003e = 579; ** \u003cem\u003ep\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e\u0026lt; 0.001.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 9.3526%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable 1 also shows that problematic gambling is correlated highest with sensation seeking (positive) and lowest with ACE (positive), both correlations are statistically significant. On the other hand, ACE is associated highest with self-control (negative).\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTesting for the Serial Indirect Relationships of ACE and Problematic Gambling\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe examined the sequential mediating relationships of difficulties in emotion regulation and self-control variables on the relationship between ACE and problematic gambling using Model 6 of the PROCESS (Hayes, 2013). Findings are reported in Table 2.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 5.0e+2pt;\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"7\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTable 2. \u003cem\u003eSerial Mediation Relationship of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Problematic Gambling\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePredictor\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eModel 1 (DER)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eModel 2 (SC)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eModel 3 (PG)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026beta;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003et\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026beta;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003et\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026beta;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003et\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eACE\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.28\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7.06\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-.26\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-7.07\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.19\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5.37\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDER\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-.42\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-11.40\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.31\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.11\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSC\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-.28\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-7.14\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eR\u003c/em\u003e\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.08\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.30\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.37\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eF\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e49.78\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e122.38\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e113.32\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"7\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eACE: Adverse Childhood Experiences; DER: Difficulties in Emotion Regulation; SC: Self-Control; PG: Problematic Gambling.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eN\u003c/em\u003e = 579; *\u003cem\u003ep\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e \u0026lt; 0.05 \u003csup\u003e**\u003c/sup\u003e\u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e \u0026lt; 0.01; \u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e \u0026lt; 0.001.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBased on the findings shown in Table 2 and Figure 2, H1 is supported. Accordingly, ACE significantly and positively predicts problematic gambling. In examining mediating relationships, ACEs were positively associated with difficulties in emotion regulation. Conversely, difficulties in emotion regulation showed a positive and significant relationship on problem gambling. This pattern indicates that difficulties in emotion regulation mediate the relationship between ACE and problem gambling; thus, H2 is also supported.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimilarly, when assessed with the self-control variable, ACE negatively predicts self-control (\u0026beta; = -0.26, \u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e \u0026lt; 0.001), and self-control, in turn, negatively predicts problem gambling (\u0026beta; = -0.28, \u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e \u0026lt; 0.001). These results indicate that self-control acts as a mediating mechanism in the relationship between ACE and problem gambling, thereby supporting H3.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAccording to Table 3, the direct influence of ACE on problem gambling behavior is significant (effect = .19, 95% CI [.40, .86]). Furthermore, the indirect influence is also significant (effect = 0.19, 95% CI [0.14, 0.24]). When examining the indirect pathways separately, the confidence intervals for the ACE\u0026rarr;emotion regulation difficulties\u0026rarr;problem gambling, ACE\u0026rarr;self-control\u0026rarr;problem gambling, and ACE\u0026rarr;emotion regulation difficulties\u0026rarr;self-control\u0026rarr;problem gambling pathways do not include zero. These findings indicate that the influence of ACE on problem gambling occurs both directly and through (single and serial) mediating pathways; details are shown in Table 3.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 4.8e+2pt;\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"5\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTable 3. \u003cem\u003eBootstrap of the Serial Mediation Model in the Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Problem Gambling\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePath\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eEffect size\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eBoot SE\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eBoot \u0026nbsp;CIL\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eBoot CIU\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDirect influence\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.19\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.12\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.40\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.86\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eIndirect influence\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.19\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.03\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.14\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.24\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eACE\u0026rarr; Difficulties in Emotion Regulation\u0026rarr;PG\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.09\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.02\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.06\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.12\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eACE\u0026rarr;Self-control\u0026rarr;PG\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.07\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.02\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.05\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.11\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eACE\u0026rarr;Difficulties in Emotion Regulation\u0026rarr;Self-control\u0026rarr;PG\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.03\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.01\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.02\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.05\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTotal effect\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.38\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.13\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.01\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.50\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"5\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eACE: Adverse Childhood Experiences; SC: Self-Control; PG: \u0026nbsp;Problematic Gambling.\u003cbr\u003e\u0026nbsp;CIL: Confidence Interval Lower; CIU: Confidence Interval Upper.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlternative Models\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn addition to the proposed sequential mediation model, alternative models were tested to assess their robustness. In this context, a model in which the order of the mediators was reversed (self-control \u0026rarr; difficulties in emotion regulation) (Figure 3) and a model in which the mediating relationships were treated in parallel (Figure 4) were examined. Analysis results indicated that the indirect influences of adverse childhood experiences on problem gambling were significant in both alternative models. However, the magnitudes of the direct, indirect, and total influences obtained in the alternative models were similar to those in the proposed model. These findings suggest that difficulties in emotion regulation and self-control may play roles in the relationship with problematic gambling, both independently and sequentially, and that the relationships among these variables may not be limited to a single linear mechanism.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Results of the Moderated Mediation Influence of Sensation Seeking\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe moderate serial mediation model, based on Hayes\u0026rsquo; PROCESS 89, was assessed with sensation seeking as the moderator variable. In the regression analysis, interaction terms were significant. The interaction between sensation seeking and ACE (\u003cem\u003e\u0026beta;\u003c/em\u003e = .54, 95% CI= [.13, .95]) and difficulties in emotion regulation (\u003cem\u003e\u0026beta;\u003c/em\u003e = .43, 95% CI= [.27, .58]) are positive, while the interaction between sensation seeking and self-control (\u003cem\u003e\u0026beta;\u003c/em\u003e = -.29, 95% CI= [-.43, -.16]) was negative. The overall regression model was statistically significant and explained 51% of the variance in problematic gambling (\u003cem\u003eR\u0026sup2;\u003c/em\u003e = .51, \u003cem\u003eF\u003c/em\u003e = 84.83, \u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e \u0026lt; .001). The results are shown in Table 4.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable 4. \u003cem\u003eThe Moderated Mediation Influence of Sensation Seeking ACE on the Problematic Gambling\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eVariables\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026beta;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSE\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003et\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eBootstrap 95% CI\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eLower\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eUpper\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSS\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5.64\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.99\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.42\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-2.19\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e13.47\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eACE\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-.32\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.33\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-.98\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-.97\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.32\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eACE \u0026times; SS\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.54\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.21\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.61\u003csup\u003e**\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.13\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.95\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDER\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-.32\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.12\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-2.63\u003csup\u003e**\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-.56\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-.08\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDER\u0026times; SS\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.43\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.08\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5.39\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.27\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.58\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSC\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.30\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.11\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.83\u003csup\u003e**\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.09\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.51\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSC \u0026times; SS\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-.29\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.07\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-4.32\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-.43\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-.16\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eR\u003c/em\u003e\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"5\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.51\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eF\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"5\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e84.83\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"6\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eACE: Adverse Childhood Experiences; DER: Difficulties in Emotion Regulation; SS: Sensetion Seeking; SC: Self-Control; PG: Problematic Gambling.\u003cbr\u003e\u003csup\u003e*\u003c/sup\u003e\u003cem\u003ep\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e\u0026lt; .05; \u003csup\u003e**\u003c/sup\u003e\u003cem\u003ep\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e\u0026lt; .01; \u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003cem\u003ep\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e\u0026lt; .001.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA simple slope analysis was performed to clarify the previously discussed interaction. Sensation seeking was examined at levels below and above its mean. The results showed that the relationship between difficulties in emotion regulation and problematic gambling was significant at lower levels of sensation seeking (\u003cem\u003e\u0026beta;\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e= .089, 95% CI = [.024, .172]). In contrast, at higher levels, the relationship was also significant and stronger (\u003cem\u003e\u0026beta;\u003c/em\u003e = .429, 95% CI = [.254, .631]). Figure 5 illustrates that the relationship between difficulties in emotion regulation and problematic gambling becomes more pronounced as sensation seeking increases.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe results showed that the relationship between self-control and problem gambling was non-significant at lower levels of sensation seeking behavior (\u003cem\u003e\u0026beta;\u003c/em\u003e = -.006, 95% CI = [-.074, .057]). In contrast, at higher levels, the relationship became significant and stronger (\u003cem\u003e\u0026beta;\u003c/em\u003e = .263, 95% CI = [.121, .427]). Figure 6 illustrates that the connection between self-control and problematic gambling becomes more pronounced as sensation seeking increases.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe serial mediating relationship between ACE and problem gambling varies depending on sensation seeking levels: it is insignificant and low at lower levels (\u003cem\u003e\u0026beta;\u003c/em\u003e = -.003, 95% CI = [-.034, .026]) and non-significant. However, at higher levels (\u003cem\u003e\u0026beta;\u003c/em\u003e = .120, 95% CI = [.050, .210]), it becomes statistically significant. Figure 7 illustrates that the link between ACE and problem gambling grows stronger as sensation seeking increases. \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn sum, Table 5 shows that the influence across the three mentioned paths grows as sensation-seeking tendency rises. This finding confirms H4.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable 5. \u003cem\u003eModeration Relationships of\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e\u003cem\u003eSensation Seeking\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e\u003cem\u003ein the Serial Mediation Model\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePath\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;Moderating variable\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eEffect Size\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eBoot SE\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eBoot CIL\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eBoot CIU\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eACE\u0026rarr; DEF regulation \u0026rarr;PG\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eLower sensation seeking\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.089\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.038\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.024\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.172\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHigher sensation seeking\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.429\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.097\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.254\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.631\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eACE\u0026rarr;SC\u0026rarr;PG\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eLower sensation seeking\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-.006\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.033\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-.074\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.057\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHigher sensation seeking\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.263\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.077\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.121\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.427\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eACE\u0026rarr; DEF \u0026rarr;SC\u0026rarr;PG\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eLower sensation seeking\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-.003\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.015\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-.034\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.026\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHigher sensation seeking\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.120\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.041\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.050\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.210\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eACE: Adverse Childhood Experiences; DER: Difficulties in Emotion Regulation; SC: Self-Control; PG: Problematic Gambling; CIL: Confidence Interval Lower; CIU: Confidence Interval Upper.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Result of the Moderated Mediation Influence of Family Gambling History\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWithin the Hayes PROCESS Model 89 framework, the tested regulated serial mediation model considered family gambling history as a moderating variable; the findings are presented in Table 6. Regression analysis results indicated that several interaction terms were statistically significant. Accordingly, while the interaction between ACE\u0026times;family gambling history was not found to be significant (\u003cem\u003e\u0026beta;\u003c/em\u003e = \u0026minus;.08, 95% CI = [\u0026minus;.52, .37]), the interaction between difficulties in emotion regulation\u0026times;family gambling history was positive and significant (\u003cem\u003e\u0026beta;\u003c/em\u003e = .45, 95% CI = [.28, .62]). Furthermore, the interaction between self-control and family gambling history was found to be negative and significant (\u003cem\u003e\u0026beta;\u003c/em\u003e = \u0026minus;.18, 95% CI = [\u0026minus;.31, \u0026minus;.05]). \u0026nbsp;The overall regression model was significant and explained 55% of the variance in problem gambling (\u003cem\u003eR\u0026sup2;\u003c/em\u003e = .55; \u003cem\u003eF\u003c/em\u003e = 98.78, \u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e \u0026lt; .001).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"6\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTable 6. \u003cem\u003eModerated Mediation Influence of Family Gambling History\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026beta;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSE\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003et\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eBootstrap 95% CI\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eLower\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eUpper\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFGH\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.97\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.22\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.94\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-4.31\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e12.25\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eACE\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.42\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.12\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.52\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.18\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.65\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eInt1: ACE \u0026times; FGH\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-.08\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.23\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-.34\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-.52\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.37\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDER\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.19\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.04\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.44\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.11\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-.08\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eInt2: DER\u0026times; FGH\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.45\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.09\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5.15\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.28\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.62\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSC\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-.09\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.04\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-2.23\u003csup\u003e*\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.09\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.51\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eInt3: SC \u0026times; FGH\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-.18\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.07\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-2.71\u003csup\u003e**\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-.31\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-.05\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eR\u003c/em\u003e\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"5\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.55\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eF\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"5\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e98.78\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"6\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFGH: Family Gambling History; ACE: Adverse Childhood Experiences; DER: Difficulties in Emotion Regulation; SC: Self-Control.\u003csup\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u0026nbsp;*\u003c/sup\u003e\u003cem\u003ep\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e\u0026lt;.05; \u003csup\u003e**\u003c/sup\u003e\u003cem\u003ep\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e\u0026lt; .01; \u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003cem\u003ep\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e\u0026lt; .001.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA simple regression analysis was conducted to clarify the previously discussed interaction. In this analysis, the moderating role of family gambling history was examined separately for those with and without a family gambling history (presence\u0026ndash;absence). The findings revealed a significant relationship between difficulties in emotion regulation and problem gambling in the absence of a family history of gambling (\u003cem\u003e\u0026beta;\u003c/em\u003e = .153, 95% CI = [.079, .244]), and this relationship was even stronger in the presence of a family history of gambling (\u003cem\u003e\u0026beta;\u003c/em\u003e = .512, 95% CI = [.291, .786]). Figure 8 illustrates that the association between difficulties in emotion regulation and problem gambling intensifies in the presence of a family history of gambling.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eResults show that the association between self-control and problem gambling is significant when there is no family history of gambling (\u003cem\u003e\u0026beta;\u003c/em\u003e = .080, 95% CI = [.011, .157]). However, in the presence of a family history of gambling, this relationship became significant and stronger (\u003cem\u003e\u0026beta;\u003c/em\u003e = -.246, 95% CI = [.012, .412]). Figure 9 shows that the relationship between self-control and problem gambling intensified in the presence of a family history of gambling.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn summary, Table 7 shows that the impact on the two pathways mentioned increases with a family gambling history, thus supporting Hypothesis H6.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eWe found that adverse childhood experiences (ACE) significantly and positively predicted problematic gambling and that difficulties in emotion regulation and self-control serially mediated this relationship, with sensation seeking and family gambling history moderating the mediation. Findings show that ACE predicts problematic gambling and is\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab7\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 7\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eModerate Relationships of Family Gambling History in the Serial Mediation Model\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePath\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eModerating variable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEffect size\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBoot SE\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBoot CIL\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBoot CIU\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eACE\u0026rarr; difficulties in emotion regulation \u0026rarr;problematic gambling\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFamily gambling history (-)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e.153\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e.042\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e.079\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e.244\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFamily gambling history (+)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e.512\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e.128\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e.291\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e.786\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eACE\u0026rarr;SC\u0026rarr;PG\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFGH (-)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e.080\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e.038\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e.011\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e.157\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFGH (+)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e.246\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e.078\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e.101\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e.412\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eACE\u0026rarr;DEF \u0026rarr;SC\u0026rarr;PG\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFGH (-)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e.036\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e.018\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e.005\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e.077\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFGH (+)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e.112\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e.039\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e.045\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e.196\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eACE: Adverse Childhood Experiences; DER: Difficulties in emotion regulation; SS: Sensetion Seeking; SC: Self-Control; PG: Problematic Gambling; FGH: Family Gambling History; CIL: Confidence Interval Lower; CIU: Confidence Interval Upper.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ecorrelated. These findings are consistent with recent literature (i.e., Bahri et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e; Bristow et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Goodrich et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). ACE shows positive correlations with many different types of addictions (Leza et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e) and negative correlations with the quality of life (Howard et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). Consequently, ACE may push an individual towards risky behaviors that lead to addiction problems, such as problematic gambling, which is economically, physiologically, and psychologically risky but difficult to prevent.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWe hypothesized a mediation in the relationship between emotion regulation difficulties and problematic gambling through ACE. Although our second hypothesis does not align completely with the model, childhood experiences are positively associated with emotion recognition and regulation (Ye et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR71\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e) and increase the risk of gambling (Feiler et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). In addition, individuals who experience difficulty in emotion regulation are at increased risk for gambling addiction (Mestre-Bach et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR46\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). Problematic gambling among adolescents is also related to traumatic events and emotion regulation, and these findings yield similar results to studies. When correlational and predictive studies are evaluated, ACE can be partially described as traumatic. This is consistent with the findings of previous research as well. Considering the importance of emotion regulation in human life, a mediating influence may have emerged.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWe hypothesized that self-control mediated the relationship between ACE and problematic gambling. We were unable to locate prior research that modeled this relationship. However, it has been reported that skills and impulses gained during childhood negatively affect self-control (e.g., Chapple et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e; Jones et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Namusoke et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR49\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). Furthermore, considering that there is a positive correlation between self-control and problematic gambling (e.g., Flores-Pajot et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e), we expected such mediation. The decline in self-control skills resulting from ACE may have led to risky behaviors, and from these risky behaviors, to problematic gambling, which is the most economical and accessible option. Furthermore, when the young-adult period is included in this process, the search for risk is likely further driven by the pursuit of financial gain, which may have contributed to the outcome.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWe found that difficulties in emotion regulation and self-control mediated the relationship between ACE and problematic gambling. This finding also supports previous studies (e.g., Chapple et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e; Feiler et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Flores-Pajot et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e; Jones et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Mestre-Bach et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR46\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e; Namusoke et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR49\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e; Ye et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR71\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). Including both difficulties in emotion regulation and self-control in the model may have improved the model\u0026rsquo;s fit indices. This is because greater difficulties in emotion regulation impede self-control. Therefore, the model may have appeared similar to those in the literature.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWe further included both sensation-seeking and family gambling history as moderating variables in the model. The relationship between self-control and problematic gambling was not significant at lower levels of sensation-seeking behavior. However, at higher levels, this relationship became significant and stronger. The moderating roles of sensation seeking have been frequently considered as a moderating variable affecting the lives of young adults, particularly in mediation and moderation models (e.g., Babakr \u0026amp; Fatahi, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Celik et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Janković et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Zuckerman, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR72\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1994\u003c/span\u003e Mancone et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e) state that there are increases in sensation-seeking and gambling behaviors, especially among young adults, and that increased sensation-seeking goes hand in hand with these increases. Multiple factors may have influenced this outcome. First, expectations of quick gains, uncertainty about the age group, escape from stress, and intense emotional experiences are likely contributors to the findings reported in the present research. Therefore, while lower levels of sensation-seeking may have a minimal role in gambling behavior, higher levels are expected to increase its risk. Another factor may be the regulatory role of family gambling history, which is the study's final hypothesis. Family has a major function in the problematic gambling disorder (Forrest \u0026amp; McHale, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). Supporting this view, Delfabbro et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e) state that problematic gambling is higher among those exposed to parental gambling behavior. Therefore, the desire to emulate the people they model after may significantly moderate the relationship.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusion","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec24\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eImplications\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe present research adds considerably to existing knowledge by presenting a comprehensive model that integrates multiple serial mediators and moderating variables to explain problematic gambling behavior. We developed the model using independent variables such as difficulty in emotion regulation, self-control, ACE, sensation seeking, and family history of gambling. Findings highlight the role of family involvement in intervention programs and the significance of ACE. Although gambling is legal in many countries for those who are 18 years old or over, understanding the issue is complicated by its association with cybergambling. Therefore, it is crucial to incorporate this model\u0026rsquo;s content into prevention interventions.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec25\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eLimitations\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study has some limitations. First, it deals with a topic that has been widely criticized lately. According to some researchers, longitudinal designs are appropriate for causal and mediation studies (Li et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR41\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). However, as Hayes (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e) points out, what causes causal inferences is not statistical methods; but, inferences are products of the mind, not mathematics. Therefore, they stem from the interpretation of statistical results and from how the data were collected. For this reason, although this study employed a cross-sectional design, its non-longitudinal nature is a limitation. Additionally, we collected data using self-report instruments, which may influence participants\u0026rsquo; responses. The main focus of the study, problematic gambling, may have introduced possible distortion. This is because gambling is illegal in the country where the data were collected (Duvarci et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1997\u003c/span\u003e), and the sample consists of young adults, which may have contributed to the limitations. Furthermore, the absence of qualitative data, given the study\u0026rsquo;s quantitative design, is also a limitation. Finally, content related to cyber gambling was excluded from the study, even though cyber ​​gambling has been increasing in recent times (Gezgin et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBased on the findings, we make several recommendations. Future studies may benefit from focusing on interventions for high school populations, drawing not only on field-specific experts but also on a societal perspective and a prevention focus. Furthermore, the increased pursuit of excitement among teenagers may have contributed to the rise in problematic gambling rates. This point has to be investigated further. Therefore, the inclusion of qualitative studies on the problem may reveal deeper insight.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003eInformed consent:\u0026nbsp;\u0026ldquo;All procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the committee responsible for human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000. Informed consent was obtained from all participants for being included in the study.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEthics Approval:\u0026nbsp;\u0026ldquo;The study was conducted with approval from the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences at Bayburt University (Date: November 19, 2025; Decision No.: 509/15).\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConflict of interest:\u0026nbsp;\u0026ldquo;The authors declare no conflict of interest.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCompeting Interests: \u0026ldquo;The authors have no competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFunding:\u0026nbsp;\u0026ldquo;The authors received no support from any organization for the submitted work.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eData Availability: \u0026ldquo;The research data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors on request.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAI Declaration:\u0026nbsp;\u0026ldquo;DeepL and Grammarly Pro were used for language readability and translation.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAuthors\u0026rsquo; contribution statements:\u0026nbsp;\u0026ldquo;All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by [İbrahim Erdoğan Yayla], [Samet Makas], [K\u0026uuml;bra Dombak], and [Ey\u0026uuml;p \u0026Ccedil;elik]. The first draft of the manuscript was written by [İbrahim Erdoğan Yayla], [Samet Makas], [K\u0026uuml;bra Dombak], [Ey\u0026uuml;p \u0026Ccedil;elik], [İbrahim Arpaci], and [Mustafa Baloglu]. All authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCorresponding Author. Mustafa Baloglu, Ph.D., e-mail: [email protected]\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAmerican Psychiatric Association. \u003cem\u003eDiagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders\u003c/em\u003e 5th edn (American Psychiatric Publishing, 2013).\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eArcan, K. 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The impact of adverse childhood experiences on depression: The role of insecure attachment styles and emotion dysregulation strategies. \u003cem\u003eCurr. Psychol.\u003c/em\u003e \u003cb\u003e43\u003c/b\u003e (5), 4016\u0026ndash;4026. \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-04613-1\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"10.1007/s12144-023-04613-1\" targettype=\"DOI\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e (2024).\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eZuckerman, M. \u003cem\u003eBehavioral expressions and biosocial bases of sensation seeking\u003c/em\u003e (Cambridge University Press, 1994).\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"scientific-reports","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"scirep","sideBox":"Learn more about [Scientific Reports](http://www.nature.com/srep/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Scientific Reports","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Scientific Reports","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Problematic gambling, emotion regulation, childhood experiences, self-control","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8949934/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8949934/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eGambling is a significant, current public health issue among young adults. Literature suggests that adverse childhood experiences may be associated with it. Moreover, emotion regulation and self-control may play a role in this relationship. Sensation seeking and a family gambling history may also moderate the relationships. We aimed to explore the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and problematic gambling among adolescents. We used PROCESS Model 6 to examine difficulties in emotion regulation and self-control as mediators and applied Model 89 to analyze moderated mediation involving sensation seeking and family gambling history. The study sample consisted of 579 young adults (67.5% man) aged 18\u0026ndash;29 years (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;21.08 years; SD\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.93 years). We found a significant positive relationship between adverse childhood experiences and problematic gambling. Mediation of difficulties in both emotion regulation and self-control was also significant. Sensation seeking and family gambling history conditioned the mediation by strengthening pathways to problematic gambling. Findings indicate that problematic gambling has strong connections with multidimensional psychosocial patterns and highlight the importance of considering individual and familial differences.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Adverse Childhood Experiences and Problematic Gambling Among Young Adults: Three Moderated Mediation","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-04-04 11:45:42","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8949934/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2026-04-28T10:40:28+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-04-26T11:23:17+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-04-21T13:31:31+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-04-12T08:42:23+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"28293160138574747174245994959784449547","date":"2026-04-12T07:59:15+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"104549850808553486699277216525004501182","date":"2026-04-08T19:41:00+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"189914272994415450493008715214685438501","date":"2026-04-08T11:11:48+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"31257597895652764936959080261548254292","date":"2026-04-08T10:11:08+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"67391807744563496396659802096330834258","date":"2026-03-31T11:40:50+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-03-31T11:02:11+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2026-03-31T10:19:24+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Scientific Reports","date":"2026-03-31T10:11:41+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"scientific-reports","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"scirep","sideBox":"Learn more about [Scientific Reports](http://www.nature.com/srep/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Scientific Reports","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Scientific Reports","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"bae948cb-96ca-4d2d-905b-f4ba804d55ea","owner":[],"postedDate":"April 4th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[{"id":65644751,"name":"Biological sciences/Psychology"},{"id":65644752,"name":"Social science/Psychology"},{"id":65644753,"name":"Health sciences/Risk factors"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-19T04:38:28+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-04-04 11:45:42","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8949934","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8949934","identity":"rs-8949934","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}