Social Representations of People with Gambling Problems: The Influence of Prevention Classes on Non-gamblers

In the present study, we examine the impact of prevention classes on non-gambling males. Specifically, we measure whether attending a prevention class influences how non-gambling participants perceive people who gamble problematically. Participants (N = 545) were all lifetime non-gamblers, and were all conscripts attending a two-day military recruitment program. On the first day participants either attended or did not attend a gambling prevention class. On the second day, they all completed a questionnaire that contained questions on how they perceived people who gamble problematically. Results showed that their representations were organized in terms of mental status (i.e. mentally disordered or not) and person-centeredness (i.e. self-centered or not). Results also showed that participants who attended the gambling prevention class saw problem-gambling individuals as more mentally disordered and self-centered than those who did not attend the class. The implications of these results are discussed in terms of social support and their applicability to problem gambling prevention programs.