Gambling behavior of adolescent gamblers.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Public Health
• Adolescent Health

Background:

• Adolescent gambling is a growing concern, with potential links to negative psychological and social outcomes.
• Understanding the prevalence and correlates of problem gambling in high school students is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the prevalence of problem gambling behaviors among high school students in Windsor, Ontario.
• To identify factors associated with problem gambling in adolescents, including gambling frequency, expenditure, and demographics.

Main Methods:

• Administered the adolescent version of the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS-RA) to 965 high school students (aged 14-19).
• Defined problem gambling as a score of five or more on the SOGS-RA, using a parallel scoring method to the original SOGS.
• Analyzed data for gender and age differences in problem gambling prevalence.

Main Results:

• Ninety percent of adolescents reported gambling activities, with a substantial proportion engaging in underage gambling.
• Estimated problem gambling prevalence at 8.1%±1.8% within the adolescent sample.
• Problem gambling was significantly associated with the number of different gambling activities and the amount of money gambled. Significant gender differences were found, but no significant age differences.

Conclusions:

• High levels of problem gambling behaviors exist among adolescents in Windsor, Ontario.
• Interventions should consider the number of gambling activities and financial expenditure as key risk factors.
• Targeted prevention and support strategies are needed, considering gender-specific approaches.