Network Analysis of the Structure of the Core Symptoms and Clinical Correlates in Comorbid Schizophrenia and Gambling Disorder

Abstract

Altres ajuts: Delegación del Gobierno para el Plan Nacional sobre Drogas (2019I47 and 2021I031). CIBER Fisiología Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn) is an initiative of Intituto de Salud Carlos III. ZD's contribution was supported by the Hungarian National Research, Development and Innovation Ofce (KKP126835, K131635).

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Few studies have analyzed the clinical profle of treatment-seeking patients with the comorbid presence of schizophrenia (SCZ) and gambling disorder (GD), which warrants new research to assess the network structure of this complex mental condition. The aim of this study was to explore the organization of the symptoms and other clinical correlates of SCZ with GD. Network analysis was applied to a sample of N = 179 SCZ patients (age range: 19-70 years, mean=39.5, SD=9.9) who met clinical criteria for gambling disorder-related problems. Variables included in the network were the core GD symptoms according to the DSM-5, psychotic and paranoid ideation levels, global psychological distress, GD severity measures (debts and illegal behavior related with gambling), substances (tobacco, alcohol, and illegal drugs), and personality profle. The nodes with the highest authority in the network (variables of highest relevance) were personality traits and psychological distress. Four empirical modules/clusters were identifed, and linkage analysis identifed the nodes with the highest closeness (bridge nodes) to be novelty seeking and reward dependence (these traits facilitate the transition between the modules). Identifcation of the variables with the highest centrality/linkage can be particularly useful for developing precise management plans to prevent and treat SCZ with GD.