The Personality Context of Adolescent Gambling: Better Explained by the Big Five or Sensation-Seeking?

The Mediating Effect of Danger Invulnerability in the Relationship Between Sensation Seeking and Gambling Among University Students

The association between sensation-seeking and gambling is well established, yet the research on mediators of this relationship is limited. The proposed model of the present study includes sensation seeking as an antecedent variable, danger invulnerability as a mediator, and gambling frequency as an outcome variable.Self-report data obtained from a convenient sample of 641 university students aged 18-40 years (Mage = 21.25; F = 52.7%, M = 47.3%) were analysed. This study supported proposed hypothesis that both sensation seeking and danger invulnerability are in significant positive relation with the frequency of gambling. Moreover, the results show that tested mediation model fit the data well, and that danger invulnerability completely mediates the relationship between sensation seeking and gambling frequency, such that higher sensation seeking is related to higher danger invulnerability and higher danger invulnerability is related to higher gambling frequency. The model explained 42.4% of the variance in danger invulnerability and 32.7% of the variance in gambling frequency. This study underscores the importance of examining both the direct and indirect effects of different variables on gambling behaviour.

Self-regulation profiles in addictive behaviors among adolescents: A transdiagnostic approach

Dual-pathway models suggest that poor self-regulation (immature regulatory combined with strong reactive processes) is an important factor underlying addictive behaviors among adolescents. This study examined whether there are different self-regulation profiles among community adolescents, and how these profiles are related to the presence, severity and comorbidity of different addictive behaviors. A community sample of 341 adolescents (54.5% female; 13-17 years) was recruited. Participants self-reported on regulatory (inhibitory control) and reactive (reward and punishment sensitivity) processes, as well as on different addictive behaviors (binge eating, tobacco-, cannabis- and alcohol use, gaming, gambling and pathological buying). A model-based clustering analysis found evidence for three meaningful profiles: 'impulsive/under-controlled', 'anxious' and 'protective'. The 'impulsive/under-controlled' profile was characterized by the highest prevalence and severity of cannabis use and the most severe alcohol use. The 'impulsive/under-controlled' and 'protective' profiles demonstrated the highest prevalence and severity of tobacco use, whereas the 'impulsive/under-controlled' and 'anxious' profiles showed the highest binge eating scores. Adolescents who reported more than three types of addictive behaviors generally belonged to the 'impulsive/under-controlled' profile. The profiles did not differ for gaming, gambling and pathological buying. The 'impulsive/under-controlled' profile emerged as the most vulnerable profile in the context of addictive behaviors (especially for binge eating and substance use).

Influence of Sensation Seeking and Life Satisfaction Expectancy on Stock Addiction Tendency: Moderating Effect of Distress Tolerance

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a very low interest rate policy was economically applied in Korea, and various investment activities through loans were activated. Real estate and stock prices rose rapidly, and many people became involved in stock investments because of economic instability. However, hastily started investment behavior resulted in economic loss and addictive behavior in stocks. The phenomenon of using stock investment to satisfy individual sensation seeking or addictive dependence on stocks due to lowered life satisfaction expectancy can become a serious social problem. However, the improvement of distress tolerance and the ability to endure pain despite frequent stock price fluctuations or lowered life satisfaction expectancy would be good alternatives to prevent stock addiction tendency. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to test the moderating effect of distress tolerance on the effect of adults' sensation seeking and life satisfaction expectancy in stock addiction tendencies. The participants were 272 adults with stock investment experience. As a result, distress tolerance significantly moderated the positive effect of sensation seeking on stock addiction tendency. In addition, life satisfaction expectancy did not significantly increase in the group with high distress tolerance even if life satisfaction expectancy was lowered. These results suggest that stock addiction can be prevented by enhancing distress tolerance.

Skin gambling predicts problematic gambling amongst adolescents when controlling for monetary gambling

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Skin gambling uses in-game items (skins) acquired in video games, to gamble on esports, games of chance, other competitive events and privately with friends. This study examined characteristics of adolescent skin gamblers, their engagement in monetary gambling, and relationships between skin gambling and at risk/problem gambling.

METHODS

Two samples of Australian adolescents aged 12-17 years were recruited to an online survey through advertisements (n = 843) and an online panel provider (n = 826).

RESULTS

In both samples, past-month skin gamblers (n = 466 advertisements sample; n = 185 online panel sample) were more likely to have lower wellbeing, score as having an internet gaming disorder on the IGD, engage in more types of monetary gambling, and meet criteria for problem gambling on the DSM-IV-MR-J. Past-month skin gambling uniquely predicted problem gambling when controlling for past-month gambling on 11 monetary forms and the total number of monetary gambling forms.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Underage participation in skin gambling is a growing concern. The strong convergence between engagement in skin gambling and monetary gambling suggests common risk factors may increase the propensity of some adolescents to gamble on these multiple forms. Nonetheless, past-month skin gambling predicted problem gambling even when controlling for past-month monetary gambling, indicating its unique contribution to gambling problems and harm. While the study was based on non-probability samples, its results strengthen the case for regulatory reforms, age restrictions and public health education to prevent underage skin gambling and its potentially harmful consequences for children and young people.

Associations of the Big Five and locus of control with problem gambling in a large Australian sample

Gambling may range from being a recreational leisure activity to a behavioral addiction. A rising number of gamblers experience adverse consequences from gambling, termed problem gambling, which may become a challenge for the individual and society. With the present research, we aimed to investigate the correlates of problem gambling. We used a large sample of more than 12,500 individuals (46% male, Mage = 48, SDage = 18) from the Household, Income, and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey and analyzed sociodemographic and personality variables (Big Five, locus of control) as well as the extent of problem gambling. Findings showed that male sex and a lower level of education were related to problem gambling, but personality traits were predictive of problem gambling over and above sociodemographic variables. Specifically, a low level of emotional stability, an external locus of control, and, to a lesser extent, a low level of conscientiousness and a high level of extraversion were predictive of problem gambling, whereas openness and agreeableness were not. These results remained constant across various robustness analyses. Our findings reveal the importance of including personality traits when explaining gambling behavior.

Testing the Associations Between Adult Playfulness and Sensation Seeking: A SEM Analysis of Librarians and Police Officers

Playfulness is an understudied personality trait in adults. We examined the relationships between facets of adult playfulness and sensation seeking (SS) in distant vocational groups, namely, librarians (N = 339) and police officers (N = 399). First, manifest and latent group comparisons (measurement invariance [MI] analysis) showed that police officers were higher in SS than librarians, while we found no group differences for playfulness. Second, structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses showed that playfulness was widely positively related to SS, and findings were replicated across groups. However, the effects were of small to moderate size, and playfulness and SS shared between 4 and 22% variance. Our findings indicate that playfulness is not redundant with SS. Our study extends the understanding of adult playfulness by clarifying its overlap and distinctiveness from SS.

Attitudes, Risk Factors, and Behaviours of Gambling among Adolescents and Young People: A Literature Review and Gap Analysis

Gambling is occurring in a rapidly changing landscape, with new trends and technologies affecting gambling behaviour and problem gambling across a range of populations. Gambling activity among adolescents and young people has received considerable research attention due to a high prevalence of gambling reported among these groups in recent years. Despite legislation worldwide to constrain gambling among adolescents and young people, modern technology, such as online gaming apps and online gambling venues, has significantly increased their exposure to the risks of problem gambling. It is important, therefore, to have up to date information about what is currently known about gambling and to explore gaps in our knowledge. This gap analysis presents the results of a systematic approach to reviewing the current literature on gambling behaviour, attitudes, and associated risk factors for gambling and problem gambling among adolescents and young adults (aged 10-25 years). The review included studies published between January 2015 and August 2020 and included 85 studies for final synthesis. Findings reveal further research is needed on the implications for young people of emerging technologies and new trends in gambling in the digital age. The current gap analysis reveals that this should include more research on the development and impact of both treatment and intervention strategies, and policy and regulatory frameworks from a public health perspective.

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

Historically, individual differences research has sought to explain problem-gambling severity in adolescence by means of unitary "risk-taking" traits, such as sensation seeking and impulsivity, implying that these personality traits account for risk-taking tendencies across different types of behaviors and situations. However, increasing empirical evidence suggests that risk taking seems to be better conceptualized as a domain-specific construct. In the current study, we adopted a psychological risk-return framework, which posits that perceptions of perceived risks and benefits predict gambling risk attitudes, which in turn, account for variance in Gambling Disorder (GD) symptoms in adolescents. The study involved 296 Italian adolescents (68% boys, M_age = 17.76, SD = 1.17). Participants completed the risk-taking, risk perception, and expected benefits scales from the Adolescent Domain Specific Risk Taking (DOSPERT) scale (Barkley-Levenson et al. in Dev Cognitive Neurosci 3: 72-83, 2013), as well as the Gambling Behavior Scale for Adolescents (GBS-A; as reported (Primi et al. in Gambling Behavior Scale for Adolescents in, Hogrefe, Florence, 2015) were administered. Consistent with predictions, risk-taking scores for the Gambling domain predicted adolescent gambling outcomes, relative to the other DOSPERT risk-domains (Ethical, Health/Safety, Recreational, Social). Additionally, we found that greater Gambling risk perceptions were associated with lower risk-taking scores, whereas greater perceived expected benefits were associated with higher risk-taking scores. Moreover, we found significant indirect effects between perceived risks and benefits and problem-gambling severity, mediated via Gambling risk-taking scores, though expected benefits demonstrated a stronger indirect effect. These results have important implications for practice as they emphasize that specific interventions aimed at preventing problem gambling in adolescents should address their perceptions about gambling benefits.

The Relationship Between Gambling Problems and the Five-Factor Model of Personality: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objectives: The aim of the present meta-analysis was to synthesize results from the association between problem gambling (PG) and dimensions of the five factor model of personality and to identify potential moderators (gambling diagnosis: yes/no, comorbidity: yes/no and trait assessment: four or fewer items vs. five items or more) of these associations in meta-regressions. Methods: Searches were conducted in six databases; Medline, Web of Science, PsychInfo, Google Scholar, OpenGrey, and Cochrane Library (conducted on February, 22, 2021). Included studies: (1) reported a relationship between PG and at least one of the personality traits in the five-factor model, (2) contained information of zero-order correlations or sufficient data for such calculations, and (3) were original articles published in any European language. Case-studies, qualitative studies, and reviews were excluded. All articles were independently screened by two authors. Final agreement was reached through discussion or by consulting a third author. Risk of bias of the included studies was assessed by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Data were synthesized using a random effects model. Results: In total 28 studies, comprising 20,587 participants, were included. The correlations between PG and the traits were as follows: Neuroticism: 0.273 (95% CI = 0.182, 0.358), conscientiousness -0.296 (95% CI = -0.400, -0.185), agreeableness -0.163 (95% CI = -0.223, -0.101), openness -0.219 (95% CI = -0.308, -0.127), and extroversion -0.083 (95% CI = -0.120, -0.046). For all meta-analyses the between study heterogeneity was significant. Presence of gambling diagnosis was the only moderator that significantly explained between-study variance showing a more negative correlation to extroversion when participants had a gambling diagnosis compared to when this was not the case. Discussion: The results indicated some publication bias. Correcting for this by a trim-and-fill procedure showed however that the findings were consistent. Clinicians and researchers should be aware of the associations between personality traits and PG. Previous studies have for example showed neuroticism to be related to treatment relapse, low scores on conscientiousness to predict treatment drop-out and agreeableness to reduce risk of treatment drop-out. Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO (CRD42021237225).

Sensation Seeking and Gambling Behavior in Adolescence: Can Externalizing Problems Moderate This Relationship?

Gambling is a widespread phenomenon during adolescence. Among different risk factors involved in the onset of adolescent gambling behaviors, one factor that is studied is the sensation seeking personality trait. However, the literature is heterogeneous and a direct relationship between sensation seeking and gaming behaviors has not always been highlighted. This suggests that the relationship can be influenced by other factors. In particular, we explored the moderating role of externalizing problems in this relationship. A total of 363 adolescents (232 males and 131 females) aged 14 to 20 (M = 16.35, SD = 1.36) completed a battery of questionnaires aimed to assess their gambling behaviors, as well as the levels of externalizing problems and sensation seeking. The results showed that sensation seeking was associated with gambling severity, but this relationship was significant when externalizing problems were high and medium. On the contrary, when externalizing problems were low, the relationship between sensation seeking and gambling severity was not significant. Overall, sensation seeking in adolescence can favor the implementation of risk behaviors, such as gambling, but only in association with the presence of externalizing problems. Limitations, strengths, and social and clinical implications of the present study are discussed.

Immigrant status and problem-gambling severity in adolescents: Evidence for moderation by sensation seeking

Despite the multidimensional/ecological integrative perspective that suggests that the risk for problem gambling in adolescents can be determined by an interactive effect of different risk factors, few studies have investigated how different individual factors may affect the risk for problem gambling in a multiplicative way. This study aimed at exploring the interaction between immigrant status (IS) and sensation seeking (SS) on adolescent problem-gambling severity. The study involved 994 Italian adolescents (64% boys, M_age = 16.57, SD = 1.62). Participants' IS, SS and problem-gambling severity were individually assessed through, respectively, a socio-demographic questionnaire, the Brief Sensation Seeking Scale (BSSS) and the South Oaks Gambling Screen - Revised for Adolescents (SOGS-RA). Results showed that, among immigrant adolescents, there were higher levels of problem-gambling severity and a higher distribution of at-risk and problem gamblers with respect to non-immigrant adolescents. Both IS and SS had significant direct effects on problem-gambling severity, with IS and higher levels of SS being predictors of greater severity. A moderation analysis - controlling for gender and age - showed that adolescents with high scores of SS were more prone to experience gambling problems if they were also immigrant. These results have important implications for practice as they emphasize that specific interventions aimed at preventing problem gambling would be required for adolescents from immigrant families. In particular, it would be important to consider the role of SS in this specific youth target.