Predictors of Gambling Behavior among High School Students

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate personal, family, and community factors that affect gambling behavior of high school students. Methods: The participants were 564 students from 7 high schools. Data were obtained from these participants between July 6 and July 20, 2011 by using self-report questionnaires. The data were analyzed using the PASW 18.0 program. Results: Of the participants, 88.8% were in the non-gambling group, 11.2% in the risk for gambling group. Significant factors related to gambling behavior were 7 personal factors: alcohol consumption, suicidal ideation, experience of being a runway, irrational gambling beliefs, risk taking, stress, and self-control; 4 family factors: parental alcohol abuse, mother who gamble, sibling who gamble, and parental monitoring; and 2 community factors: peer who gamble and number of gambling peer. Conclusion: The outcomes of this study indicate that in order to decrease high school students' gambling behavior, it is necessary to design intervention programs that managing personal, family, and community factors of gambling behavior.