Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 30, 2026
07:31
Implementation of a Real-Time Psychosis Risk Detection and Alerting System Based on Electronic Health Records using CogStack
Published on: May 15, 2020
Examining the predictive validity of low-risk gambling limits with longitudinal data
Shawn R Currie1, David C Hodgins, David M Casey
1University of Calgary, Canada. scurrie@ucalgary.ca
Addiction (Abingdon, England)
|August 20, 2011
Summary
Increasing gambling intensity significantly raises the risk of future harm for adult gamblers. Factors like male gender, tobacco use, and playing electronic gaming machines predict this escalation from low-risk to high-risk gambling habits.
Area of Science:
- Addiction research
- Public health
- Behavioral science
Background:
- Defining low-risk gambling is crucial for understanding gambling progression.
- Identifying predictors of escalating gambling behavior is essential for harm reduction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of exceeding low-risk gambling limits on future harm.
- To identify factors predicting the shift from low- to high-risk gambling.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal cohort study of 809 adult gamblers in Alberta, Canada.
- Assessments conducted over a 14-month interval using the Canadian Problem Gambling Index.
- Ancillary measures included substance abuse, depression, impulsivity, and personality traits.
Main Results:
- Adults shifting from low- to high-risk gambling were 2-3 times more likely to experience harm.
- Predictors of this shift included male gender, tobacco use, older age, lower education, gambling friends, and playing electronic gaming machines.
Conclusions:
- Increased gambling intensity is linked to a higher likelihood of future gambling-related harm in adults.
- Understanding risk factors can inform targeted interventions for problem gambling.
Related Concept Videos
02:20Longitudinal Research
Sometimes we want to see how people change over time, as in studies of human development and lifespan. When we test the same group of individuals repeatedly over an extended period of time, we are conducting longitudinal research. Longitudinal research is a research design in which data-gathering is administered repeatedly over an extended period of time. For example, we may survey a group of individuals about their dietary habits at age 20, retest them a decade later at age 30, and then again...
01:26Longitudinal Studies
Longitudinal studies are also widely used in other medical and social science fields. For instance, in cardiovascular research, they can monitor patients' health over decades to identify risk factors for heart disease, such as high cholesterol or smoking, and evaluate the long-term effectiveness of preventive measures. Similarly, in mental health studies, researchers might follow individuals from adolescence into adulthood to understand the development and progression of conditions like...
01:15Assumptions of Survival Analysis
Survival models analyze the time until one or more events occur, such as death in biological organisms or failure in mechanical systems. These models are widely used across fields like medicine, biology, engineering, and public health to study time-to-event phenomena. To ensure accurate results, survival analysis relies on key assumptions and careful study design.
01:52Regression Toward the Mean
Regression toward the mean (“RTM”) is a phenomenon in which extremely high or low values—for example, and individual’s blood pressure at a particular moment—appear closer to a group’s average upon remeasuring. Although this statistical peculiarity is the result of random error and chance, it has been problematic across various medical, scientific, financial and psychological applications. In particular, RTM, if not taken into account, can interfere when researchers try to extrapolate results...
01:23Types of Biopharmaceutical Studies: Controlled and Non-Controlled Approaches
Biopharmaceutical studies constitute a vital field aiming to enhance drug delivery methods and refine therapeutic approaches, drawing upon diverse interdisciplinary knowledge. In research methodologies, the choice between controlled and non-controlled studies significantly influences the study's reliability and accuracy.
Non-controlled studies, commonly employed for initial exploration, lack a control group, rendering them susceptible to biases and external influences. In contrast, controlled...
Non-controlled studies, commonly employed for initial exploration, lack a control group, rendering them susceptible to biases and external influences. In contrast, controlled...
01:29Reliability and Validity
Reliability and validity are two important considerations that must be made with any type of data collection. Reliability refers to the ability to consistently produce a given result. In the context of psychological research, this would mean that any instruments or tools used to collect data do so in consistent, reproducible ways.