The mediating role of decision-making styles in the relationship between morningness-eveningness preference and gambling involvement

It has been reported that evening-types are related to several risk-taking behaviour, including gambling. Both morningness-eveningness preference and gambling disorders have been associated with specific decision-making styles. The present study aimed to assess the relationship among morningness-eveningness preference, gambling disorder, and decision-making styles. Three-hundred and seventy-four volunteers (31.93 ± 12.75 years; 43.30 % males) completed the reduced version of the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire, the General Decision-Making Style inventory, and the South Oaks Gambling Screen. The results showed that evening-types reported higher scores on the gambling severity especially for men, as well as on the Spontaneous decision-making style, whereas morning-types scored lower on the gambling severity and higher on the Rational decision-making style. The correlation analysis showed the associations between morningness-eveningness preference and gambling severity, Rational and Spontaneous styles, as well as the associations between gambling severity and Rational, Avoidant and Spontaneous styles. Mediation analysis demonstrated that morning-types were more rational, and, in turn, the Rational scale was negatively associated with SOGS. The analysis also showed that evening-types were more avoidant in their decision-making styles, and, in turn, this tendency to avoid decision-making significantly predicted gambling severity. The results are discussed with reference to circadian phase (and its changes) and amplitude.