Correlates of gambling on high-school grounds

Area of Science:

• Adolescent Psychology
• Public Health
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Adolescent gambling is a growing concern, with gambling on school grounds (GS+) being a prevalent behavior.
• Understanding the associations between GS+ and gambling-related attitudes is crucial for developing effective interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine adolescent gambling on school grounds (GS+) and its association with gambling-related attitudes.
• To investigate whether GS+ moderates the relationship between at-risk problem-gambling (ARPG) and gambling behaviors with partners.

Main Methods:

• A survey of 1988 high-school students was conducted.
• Data on demographics, perceptions, attitudes, and gambling variables were collected and stratified by problem-gambling severity and GS+ status.
• Chi-square and adjusted logistic regression models were employed to analyze the relationships.

Main Results:

• Nearly 40% of students reported past-year GS+, with a significantly higher prevalence of pathological gambling among GS+ students (12.91%) compared to GS- students (2.63%).
• GS+ students exhibited poorer academic achievement and more permissive attitudes towards gambling compared to GS- students.
• The association between problem-gambling severity and gambling with family or friends was weaker in GS+ students than in GS- students.

Conclusions:

• GS+ is a common behavior associated with pathological gambling and more permissive attitudes, necessitating school-based interventions.
• Differences in how problem-gambling severity relates to gambling partners in GS+ youth suggest a need to explore peer and familial interactions for intervention.
• The high frequency of GS+ and its link to ARPG underscore the importance of school administrators considering targeted interventions.