Using the Rasch model to develop a revised Gambling Attitudes and Beliefs Scale (GABS) for use with male college...

Research suggests that an overwhelming majority of college students gamble, with between 2-9% of U.S. students meeting DSM-IV criteria for pathological gambling. Despite the prevalence of gambling among college students, accurate and easily implemented methods for the assessment of gambling involvement among college students are lacking. Thus, the purpose of the current study was to establish the psychometric properties of a measure of gambling attitudes and beliefs (GABS) and demonstrate this measure's association with gambling frequency and an established gambling screen among 374 U.S. male college students during 1995-1997. Using techniques based in modern test theory (e.g., Rasch model), we identified a set of 10 items that reliably rank-ordered students in relation to their positive attitudes and beliefs about gambling. Further, the resulting 10 items accounted for variance in gambling behavior beyond that provided by a more standard consequences-based assessment measure. Use of this measure for the improvement of gambling assessment in college students is recommended.