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Noel JK, Rosenthal SR, Jacob S. Internet, App-Based, and Casino Gambling: Associations Between Modality, Problem Gambling, and Substance Use. J Gambl Stud 2024:10.1007/s10899-024-10284-9. [PMID: 38311694 DOI: 10.1007/s10899-024-10284-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
Technology-based gambling prevalence is not well understood since relevant questions are not included in health and disease surveillance studies. The current study sought to estimate the prevalence of internet-based and smartphone app-based gambling, along with casino gambling, in a sample of U.S. young adults and determine if gambling modality was associated with problem gambling symptoms or substance use. The 2022 Rhode Island Young Adult Survey included N = 1,022 students between the ages of 18 to 25 years old who had lived in Rhode Island, with n = 414 lifetime gamblers (40.5%) included in this study. Odds of gambling via a smartphone app and on the internet, respectively, were greater in heterosexual cis-males compared to heterosexual cis-females (OR[95%CI] = 3.14 [1.25,7.91]; OR[95%CI] = 6.30 [2.05,19.3]). Internet gambling amongst employed students was less common than among those who were not a student and not employed (OR[95%CI] = 0.25 [0.06,1.00]). Odds of problem gambling symptoms were higher among those who gambled via a smartphone app (OR[95%CI] = 3.23 [1.21,8.60]). All forms of gambling were associated with alcohol consumption, although the strength of the association was stronger in app and internet gamblers. Casino gamblers were more likely to be high risk marijuana and illicit drug users. The rising availability of app gambling coupled with its social, psychological, and cultural context may presents an alternative pathway to problem gambling. Bans on internet gambling and/or strict guidelines on the frequency of wagers and cash placed per wager, should be considered as viable methods to mitigate associated consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan K Noel
- Department of Health Science, College of Health & Wellness, Johnson & Wales University, 8 Abbott Park Place, Providence, RI, 02903, USA.
- Center for Student Research & Interdisciplinary Collaboration, Johnson & Wales University, Providence, RI, 02903, USA.
| | - Samantha R Rosenthal
- Department of Health Science, College of Health & Wellness, Johnson & Wales University, 8 Abbott Park Place, Providence, RI, 02903, USA
- Center for Student Research & Interdisciplinary Collaboration, Johnson & Wales University, Providence, RI, 02903, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown School of Public Health, Providence, RI, 02903, USA
| | - Steve Jacob
- Department of Health Science, College of Health & Wellness, Johnson & Wales University, 8 Abbott Park Place, Providence, RI, 02903, USA
- Center for Student Research & Interdisciplinary Collaboration, Johnson & Wales University, Providence, RI, 02903, USA
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Farhat LC, Zhai ZW, Hoff RA, Krishnan-Sarin S, Potenza MN. An Exploratory Study of Shopping to Relieve Tension or Anxiety in Adolescents: Health Correlates and Gambling-Related Perceptions and Behaviors. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:6169. [PMID: 35627706 PMCID: PMC9140366 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19106169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The desire to escape from pressures/anxiety represents an important motivation for problematic engagement with short-term rewarding behaviors that could contribute to the development of recognized and candidate behavioral addictions, including problematic shopping, a prevalent condition among youth in the U.S.A. characterized by excessive shopping cognitions/behaviors that lead to distress/impairment. However, to date, the specific correlates of shopping to relieve anxiety or tension have yet to be evaluated. We aimed at addressing this gap by analyzing data (N = 2556) from a high-school survey from Connecticut in an exploratory fashion. Adolescents who acknowledged experiencing a growing tension or anxiety that could only be relieved by shopping were classified as having negative-reinforcement shopping and compared to the remaining students. Data were analyzed in chi-square and logistic regression models to examine negative-reinforcement shopping in relation to socio-demographics, health correlates, gambling-related perceptions/attitudes, and problem-gambling severity/gambling behaviors. Negative-reinforcement shopping was more frequent in female and Hispanic students, was linked to more permissive gambling attitudes and at-risk/problematic gambling, and was associated with the use of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and other drugs, dysphoria/depression, and weapon-carrying and physical fighting. Taken together, these findings highlight adverse measures of health and functioning linked to negative-reinforcement shopping that may be particularly relevant to girls and Hispanic youth. Additional efforts to prevent negative outcomes are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis C. Farhat
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 05403-903, Brazil;
| | - Zu Wei Zhai
- Program in Neuroscience, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT 05753, USA;
| | - Rani A. Hoff
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; (R.A.H.); (S.K.-S.)
- Northeast Program Evaluation Center, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Suchitra Krishnan-Sarin
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; (R.A.H.); (S.K.-S.)
- Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
| | - Marc N. Potenza
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; (R.A.H.); (S.K.-S.)
- Northeast Program Evaluation Center, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
- Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
- Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, Wethersfield, CT 06109, USA
- Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
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