Abstract
BackgroundGambling is not uncommon among adolescents, and a non-trivial minority has serious problems with gambling. Therefore, enhanced knowledge about factors that may prevent against problematic gambling among youth is needed. Prior research has shown that a strong school ethos, which can be defined as a set of attitudes and values pervading at a school, is associated with a lower inclination among students to engage in various risk behaviours. Knowledge about the link between school ethos and adolescent gambling is however scarce. The aim of the study was to investigate the association between teacher-rated school ethos and student-reported gambling and risk gambling, when controlling also for sociodemographic characteristics at the student- and the school-level.MethodsData from two separate cross-sectional surveys were combined. The Stockholm School Survey (SSS) was performed among 5123 students (aged 17–18 years) in 46 upper secondary schools, and the Stockholm Teacher Survey (STS) was carried out among 1061 teachers in the same schools. School ethos was measured by an index based on teachers’ ratings of 12 items in the STS. Adolescent gambling and risk gambling were based on a set of single items in the SSS. Sociodemographic characteristics at the student-level were measured by student-reported information from the SSS. Information on sociodemographic characteristics at the school-level was retrieved from administrative registers. The statistical method was multilevel regression analysis. Two-level binary logistic regression models were performed.ResultsThe analyses showed that higher teacher ratings of the school’s ethos were associated with a lower likelihood of gambling and risk gambling among students, when adjusting also for student- and school-level sociodemographic characteristics.ConclusionsThis study showed that school ethos was inversely associated with students’ inclination to engage in gambling and in risk gambling. In more general terms, the study provides evidence that schools’ values and norms as reflected by the teachers’ ratings of their school’s ethos have the potential to counteract unwanted behaviours among the students.
Highlights
Gambling is not uncommon among adolescents, and a non-trivial minority has serious problems with gambling
To the best of our knowledge, few studies have investigated if more qualitative aspects of schools’ organisational functioning are related to students’ inclination to engage in gambling and in risk gambling
Unique data material based on cross-sectional survey information collected among 1061 teachers and 5123 students in 46 upper secondary schools in Stockholm, the present study showed that teachers’ ratings of a school’s ethos was inversely associated with gambling and risk gambling among students, when adjusting for student- and school-level sociodemographic characteristics
Summary
Gambling is not uncommon among adolescents, and a non-trivial minority has serious problems with gambling. The aim of the study was to investigate the association between teacher-rated school ethos and student-reported gambling and risk gambling, when controlling for sociodemographic characteristics at the student- and the school-level. Prior research on adolescent gambling has largely concentrated on risk and preventive factors at the individual- and the family-level. Some previous studies have identified certain school-related conditions as important predictors of problematic gambling among the students. Poor school performance has been shown to be linked with an increased risk of problem gambling [8], whereas a negative association has been reported for adolescents’ perception of school connectedness and problematic gambling [5]. Elgar et al [10] showed that students’ perception of teacher support and of classmate support were inversely associated with excessive gambling
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
