Do Addictive Behaviors Differ by Region? Comparison of Drinking and Gambling Problems among College Students in South Korea and Hawai‘i

Abstract

Addiction is a global social issue that poses significant crisis to individuals and their families’health and social aspects. The characteristics of addiction can vary depending on the region, culture, and context. Addictive behaviors such as drinking and gambling are associated with various psychosocial factors. We examined whether and how psychosocial factors (i.e., ego-resiliency, family cohesion, and social support) affect addictive behaviors, specifically drinking and gambling problems, by comparing the occurrences of both problems and related factors between college students in South Korea and Hawai‘i. We collected data from college students in South Korea (n= 503) and Hawai‘i (n= 217). Our findings showed that respondents from the Korean sample were more involved in drinking and gambling problems. In addition, we found that region was a factor associated with problem drinking and that there was a significant effect of social support on problem gambling. In conclusion, we discussed our key findings in-depth and suggested strategies to prevent and intervene early in addictive behaviors among college students.