The roles of coping style and social support in the experience of harm and distress among people affected by another person's gambling.

Background: Gambling-related harms can negatively impact the health and wellbeing of those around the person who gambles (affected others, AOs). The stress-strain-coping-support (SSCS) model proposes that the type of coping strategies AOs use, and the availability of social support, can effectively reduce some of these negative consequences. The current study aimed to explore the assumptions in the SSCS model by examining the role of coping styles and social support on the experience of harm and psychological distress in AOs.

Method: A community sample (N = 1,131) of AOs completed the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), Gambling Harm Scale for Affected Others (GHS-AO-20; harm), Significant Other Closeness Scale, Kessler-6 (K6; psychological distress), Brief Coping Questionnaire (coping styles) and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (social support). Data were analysed using hierarchical multiple regression.

Results: The use of maladaptive coping styles was positively associated with harm and psychological distress. Social support was significantly negatively correlated with harm and distress. When all predictors were included in regression analyses, the only significant predictors of harm and distress were being exposed to a more severe gambling problem, being closer to the person with the gambling problem, greater use of maladaptive coping styles, and lower levels of social support. Some interaction effects were identified.

Conclusions: Some commonly used coping behaviours may inadvertently exacerbate harm and distress, while social support appears to be protective against negative health impacts. Education, treatment, and support to AOs could provide options that address these findings.