24
views
0
recommends
+1 Recommend
2 collections
    0
    shares

      The Open Access Journal of Behavioral Addictions is open for submissions! Learn more and submit at AKJournals.

      Impact factor 6.6 (Q1)    Scopus CiteScore 12.3 (Q1)        Scimago SJR 2.188 (Q1)

      To learn more about AK Journals, please click here

      • Record: found
      • Abstract: found
      • Article: found

      Comparing Problem Gamblers with Moderate-Risk Gamblers in a Sample of University Students

      research-article

      Read this article at

      ScienceOpenPublisherPMC
      Bookmark
          There is no author summary for this article yet. Authors can add summaries to their articles on ScienceOpen to make them more accessible to a non-specialist audience.

          Abstract

          Background and Aims

          In an effort to provide further empirical evidence of meaningful differences, this study explores, in a student population, the distinctions in gambling behavioral patterns and specific associated problems of two levels of gambling severity by comparing problem gamblers (PG) and moderate-risk gamblers (MR) as defined by the score on the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI; MR: 3-7; PG: 8 and more).

          Methods

          The study sample included 2,139 undergraduate students (male = 800, mean age = 22.6) who completed the PGSI and questionnaires on associated problems.

          Results

          Results show that problem gamblers engage massively and more diversely in gambling activities, more often and in a greater variety of locations, than moderate-risk gamblers. In addition, important differences have been observed between moderate-risk and problem gamblers in terms of expenditures and accumulated debt. In regards to the associated problems, compared to moderate-risk gamblers, problem gamblers had an increased reported psychological distress, daily smoking, and possible alcohol dependence.

          Discussion and Conclusions

          The severity of gambling and associated problems found in problem gamblers is significantly different from moderate-risk gamblers, when examined in a student population, to reiterate caution against the amalgamation of these groups in future research.

          Related collections

          Most cited references33

          • Record: found
          • Abstract: found
          • Article: not found

          The 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12): translation and validation study of the Iranian version

          Background The objective of this study was to translate and to test the reliability and validity of the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) in Iran. Methods Using a standard 'forward-backward' translation procedure, the English language version of the questionnaire was translated into Persian (Iranian language). Then a sample of young people aged 18 to 25 years old completed the questionnaire. In addition, a short questionnaire containing demographic questions and a single measure of global quality of life was administered. To test reliability the internal consistency was assessed by Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Validity was performed using convergent validity. Finally, the factor structure of the questionnaire was extracted by performing principal component analysis using oblique factor solution. Results In all 748 young people entered into the study. The mean age of respondents was 21.1 (SD = 2.1) years. Employing the recommended method of scoring (ranging from 0 to 12), the mean GHQ score was 3.7 (SD = 3.5). Reliability analysis showed satisfactory result (Cronbach's alpha coefficient = 0.87). Convergent validity indicated a significant negative correlation between the GHQ-12 and global quality of life scores as expected (r = -0.56, P < 0.0001). The principal component analysis with oblique rotation solution showed that the GHQ-12 was a measure of psychological morbidity with two-factor structure that jointly accounted for 51% of the variance. Conclusion The study findings showed that the Iranian version of the GHQ-12 has a good structural characteristic and is a reliable and valid instrument that can be used for measuring psychological well being in Iran.
            Bookmark
            • Record: found
            • Abstract: found
            • Article: not found

            Validity of the Problem Gambling Severity Index interpretive categories.

            The Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) is a widely used nine item scale for measuring the severity of gambling problems in the general population. Of the four gambler types defined by the PGSI, non-problem, low-risk, moderate-risk and problem gamblers, only the latter category underwent any validity testing during the scale's development, despite the fact that over 95% of gamblers fall into one of the remaining three categories. Using Canadian population data on over 25,000 gamblers, we conducted a comprehensive validity and reliability analysis of the four PGSI gambler types. The temporal stability of PGSI subtype over a 14-month interval was modest but adequate (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.63). There was strong evidence for the validity of the non-problem and problem gambler categories however the low-risk and moderate-risk categories showed poor discriminant validity using the existing scoring rules. The validity of these categories was improved with a simple modification to the scoring system.
              Bookmark
              • Record: found
              • Abstract: found
              • Article: not found

              Gender differences in the associations between past-year gambling problems and psychiatric disorders.

              Psychiatric disorders frequently co-occur with pathological gambling. The extent to which co-occurence extends to subsyndromal levels of gambling or differs between women and men is incompletely understood. To examine whether the association between psychiatric disorders and past-year gambling problems is stronger in women than men. Data from the national epidemiological survey of alcoholism and related disorders (NESARC) (n = 43,093) were analyzed. Increasing severity of past-year gambling problems was associated with increasing odds of most past-year Axis I and lifetime Axis II disorders, regardless of gender. Associations between gambling problems and major depression, dysthymia, panic disorder, and nicotine dependence were statistically stronger in women than in men. A severity-related association exists between past-year gambling problems and psychiatric disorders. The stronger associations in women suggest that gambling research, prevention and treatment efforts consider gender differences.
                Bookmark

                Author and article information

                Journal
                J Behav Addict
                J Behav Addict
                jba
                JBA
                Journal of Behavioral Addictions
                Akadémiai Kiadó
                2062-5871
                2063-5303
                June 2015
                27 May 2015
                : 4
                : 2
                : 53-59
                Affiliations
                [1 ]CSSS Lucille-Teasdale, Clinique-réseau intégrée Maisonneuve , Montreal, Quebec, Canada
                [2 ]Research Chair on Gambling, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Concordia University , Montreal, Quebec, Canada
                [3 ]Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal , Montreal, Quebec, Canada
                Author notes
                * Corresponding authors: Sylvia Kairouz and Chantal Robillard; Research Chair on Gambling, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Concordia University, 1455 de Maisonneuve West, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3G 1M8; Phone: 514-848-2424; Fax: 514-848-4539; E-mails: skairouz@ 123456alcor.concordia.ca (SK); chantal.robillard@ 123456concordia.ca (CR)
                Article
                10.1556/2006.4.2015.002
                4500885
                26014673
                9f94099e-190c-4a7b-a70f-7e95ca15f5ee
                © 2015 Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest

                This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium for non-commercial purposes, provided the original author and source are credited.

                History
                : 30 July 2014
                : 20 February 2015
                : 23 February 2015
                Page count
                Figures: 0, Tables: 3, References: 38, Pages: 7
                Funding
                This research was supported by an operating grant from the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Société et Culture [# 130876] awarded to Dr Kairouz and Dr Nadeau. The analysis and drafting of this article were supported by funding of a Research Chair on Gambling from the FRQ-SC from the FRQ-SC for Dr Kairouz [# 170115].
                Categories
                Full-Length Report

                problem gambling,at-risk gambling,social context,university students,gambling habits,addictive behaviours

                Comments

                Comment on this article