Abstract
Although gambling was initially characterized as a specific phenomenon of adulthood, the progressive lowering of the age of onset, combined with earlier and increased access to the game, led researchers to study the younger population as well. According to the literature, those who develop a gambling addiction in adulthood begin to play significantly before than those who play without developing a real disorder. In this perspective, the main hypothesis of the study was that the phenomenon of gambling behavior in this younger population is already associated with specific characteristics that could lead to identify risk factors. In this paper, are reported the results of an exploratory survey on an Italian sample of 2,734 preadolescents, aged between 11 and 14 years, who replied to a self-report structured questionnaire developed ad hoc. Firstly, data analysis highlighted an association between the gambling behavior and individual or ecological factors, as well as a statistically significant difference in the perception of gambling between preadolescent, who play games of chance, and the others. Similarly, the binomial logistic regression performed to ascertain the effects of seven key variables on the likelihood that participants gambled with money showed a statistically significant effect for six of them. The relevant findings of this first study address a literature gap and suggest the need to investigate the preadolescent as a cohort in which it identifies predictive factors of gambling behavior in order to design effective and structured preventive interventions.
Highlights
In recent years, addiction has undergone changes both in terms of choice of the so-called substance and for the age groups involved (Echeburúa and de Corral Gargallo, 1999; Griffiths, 2000)
Despite the fact that in many countries gambling is forbidden to minors, in recent years, there has been a marked increase in this behavior among younger people so that from surveys conducted in different cultural contexts it emerges that a percentage between 60 and 99% of boys and between 12 and 20 years have gambled at least once (Splevins et al, 2010)
Gamblers were more likely males, older, and showed a higher record of inappropriate behavior at school in the past. The parents of these students presented a higher proportion of gambling behavior and family conflicts related to playing videogames or gambling
Summary
Addiction has undergone changes both in terms of choice of the so-called substance and for the age groups involved (Echeburúa and de Corral Gargallo, 1999; Griffiths, 2000). In the last edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) (American Psychiatric Association, 2013), the pathological gambling behavior has been conceptualized differently than in previous editions, as a result of a series of empirical evidence indicating the commonality of some clinical and neurobiological correlates between pathological gambling and substance use disorders (Rash et al, 2016). Despite the fact that in many countries gambling is forbidden to minors, in recent years, there has been a marked increase in this behavior among younger people so that from surveys conducted in different cultural contexts it emerges that a percentage between 60 and 99% of boys and between 12 and 20 years have gambled at least once (Splevins et al, 2010). The increasing number of children and underaged youth participating in games of chance for recreation and entertainment is attributable to the legalization, normalization, and proliferation of gambling opportunities/activities (Hurt et al, 2008)
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