Using the Risk-Return Model to Explain Gambling Disorder Symptoms in Youth: An Empirical Investigation with Italian Adolescents

Financial Literacy and Economic Attitudes as Protective Factors Against Pathological Gambling? A Systematic Review

Pathological gambling poses significant global issues, leading to economic, social, and psychological consequences such as debt, family breakdowns, and mental health problems. While various risk factors for gambling addiction, including comorbid addictions, psychiatric disorders, gender, age, and easy access to gambling venues, have been well-studied, less emphasis is placed on protective factors. Strong social support and higher education are key in mitigating gambling addiction. Higher education, in particular, equips individuals with better decision-making skills and risk management strategies, reducing the likelihood of addictive behaviors. Strengthening education and social support systems is essential for preventing gambling addiction. A systematic review was conducted across Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and EBSCO, focusing on studies published after 2000. Peer-reviewed studies written in English that examined the relationship between financial literacy and gambling were included. Studies focusing solely on financial topics or not in English were excluded. The review follows the PROSPERO protocol. Financial literacy is linked to lower rates of pathological gambling, although its impact varies based on cultural context and gambling accessibility. From 880 papers, 8 met the inclusion criteria. Six studies confirmed a relationship between higher financial literacy and reduced gambling behavior, while two studies indicated that the significance of this relationship depended on specific financial literacy dimensions or contextual factors. This research underscores the importance of incorporating consumer education and psychological factors into future gambling addiction prevention strategies, particularly for younger gamblers.

Influence of social determinants of health on gambling in adolescents. Analysis of the results of the ESTUDES 2022 survey

BACKGROUND

There is globally proliferation of pathological gambling among the adolescent population. This public health problem requires the development of effective preventive strategies based on the risk factors. The aim of this study is to analyse the social determinants of health which may be predictors of online and face-to-face gambling in young people.

METHODS

A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out using the Survey on Drug Use in Secondary Education in Spain, ESTUDES (2021), as the main data collection tool. The selected sample consisted of N = 22 321.

RESULTS

Gender, age, academic performance and compulsive internet use were found to be predictors of online and face-to-face gambling. Gambling with money was statistically significantly related to male gender, age, presence of truancy, low academic achievement, compulsive internet use, mother's educational level and mother's employment status.

CONCLUSIONS

This study offers a detailed analysis of connection between social and demographic factors that precede gambling beginning and the presence of problem behaviours. Academic achievement and gender differences appear to relate to the pathological gambling in adolescents. These should be taken as a reference when generating preventive strategies that allow us to focus on the most vulnerable population.

Risk and Protective Factors for Gambling Among Youth by origin: Findings from the three waves of cross-sectional Finnish School Health Promotion Study among 238,939 Students

Gambling is a public health problem that can cause many kinds of harm. The aim of this study was to examine youth gambling by origin, and the risk and protective factors associated with it. The data was drawn from the School Health Promotion Study (n = 238,939) conducted in Finland, representative of the 14 to 16-year-old Finnish schoolchildren. Cross-tabulations and multivariate logistic regression were used in assessing the association between origin and weekly gambling. Interaction terms of origin and background variables related to substance use, peer and family relations and leisure time were then calculated to assess inter-group differences. The study showed that foreign-born, migrant origin and youth from mixed families were more likely to gamble weekly compared to youth with Finnish-born parents. The likelihood of gambling was particularly high among foreign-born and migrant-origin youth. Weekly gambling was significantly more common among boys than girls in all studied youth groups, and it was particularly common among foreign-born boys compared to other groups. Substance use was associated with weekly gambling and even more so among foreign-born youth. There were also differences by origin in the strength of association between other background factors and weekly gambling. Foreign-born boys appear to be especially vulnerable to multiple health and social risks including gambling, making them a particularly important group for targeted preventive programs. Preventive efforts are needed to enhance public awareness, boost parental supervision, and limit gambling-related risks. Special attention is needed to prevent migrant-origin boys from developing problems with gambling.

Are you a spontaneous traveler? Effect of sensation seeking on tourist planfulness in the mobile era

Drawn upon optimum stimulation level theory, and in view of the impact of mobile terminal usage on tourist decision-making, the present study aims to investigate how personality (i.e., sensation seeking) influences tourist trip planning behavior (i.e., tourist planfulness) in the mobile era. A sample of 344 respondents in China completed measures of sensation seeking, travel risk perception, smartphone usage, as well as tourist planfulness. Results indicated that sensation seeking was negatively associated with tourist planfulness and travel risk perception partially mediated this association. Besides, both the direct effect of sensation seeking on tourist planfulness and the indirect effect of travel risk perception were moderated by smartphone usage, in that these effects were stronger for tourists with a high-level of smartphone usage than those with low-level smartphone usage. This study can significantly advance existing research on tourist behavior from the perspective of personality and reconfiguring our traditional understanding on tourist decision-making in the mobile era. Our study may also provide indicative support for theoretical perspective that information technology is changing customer behavior.

Investigating Adolescents' Video Gaming and Gambling Activities, and Their Relationship With Behavioral, Emotional, and Social Difficulties: Protocol for a Multi-Informant Study

Background

Growing empirical evidence suggests that adolescents have a relatively greater propensity to develop problematic video gaming or gambling habits.

Objective

The main objectives of this study are to estimate the prevalence of potential pathological gambling and video game use among adolescent students and to evaluate their risk factors.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional multi-informant study based on an online survey. It will include a sample of adolescents attending secondary schools located in Brescia, northern Italy, their schoolteachers, and parents. The survey includes extensive data on adolescents’ (1) demographic, social, economic, and environmental characteristics; (2) behavioral, emotional, and social problems and adaptive functioning; (3) emotional and social loneliness; (4) perception of the reasons to use social networks; (5) video game habits and pathological use of video gaming; and (6) gambling behaviors.

Results

This protocol was approved by the Institutional Ethics Board of the Spedali Civili of Brescia (Italy). We expect to collect data from 793 or more adolescent students, as determined by our sample size calculation.

Conclusions

This multisite project will make a substantial contribution to (1) the implementation of a system for identifying pathological gambling and pathological video game use among adolescents, allowing for interventions aimed at improving adolescents’ financial, emotional, and social well-being; and (2) the identification of distinct profiles of gamblers and pathological video gamers that will contribute to setting up effective targeted prevention measures. Understanding the causes and impact of gambling and pathological video gaming on adolescents is a public health issue.

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/33376