The Risk of Gambling Disorders in Children and Adolescents

Global scientific production regarding behavioral addictions: An analysis of the literature from 1995 to 2019

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There is an increase in behavioral addiction research over the last 25 years.

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The most considerable increase has been in gambling and ITC related problems.

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Western countries are more interested in gambling and Asians in ITC related problems.

Aims

The increase in scientific interest in so-called behavioral addictions has been growing in recent years. For this reason, the aim of our study is to use bibliometric techniques to identify where and with what intensity these behaviors are being studied.

Methods

In October 2020, we conducted a search in the Web of Science Core Collection using a search equation designed to retrieve the articles that combine the general keywords of addiction with specific terms of the 7 groups of behavioral addictions analyzed (gambling; gaming; information and communication related disorders; and the so-called somatic addictions related to sex, shopping, food and sports). Articles published from 1995 to 2019 were included.

Results

We found 9199 distinct articles. Gambling was the most studied addiction, but Information and Technology Communication-related disorders (ITC) had the highest growth rate over the span of five five-year periods, followed by gaming and food addiction. In general, there was a growth rate of 130.46% in the research on behavioral addiction issues. By geographical region, the United States was the most productive country regarding all addictions, but Oceania had the highest proportion of publications per million population. There was a clear interest among Asian countries in studying problems related to ITC and gaming problems.

Conclusions

The importance of the seven behavioral addictions analyzed according to their growth rate in scientific research fields over the last 25 years was confirmed in our study. In addition, the differences in interest by geographical region show us that it is important to delve deeper into cultural particularities to better understand this phenomenon.

Exploring the Predictive Value of Gambling Motives, Cognitive Distortions, and Materialism on Problem Gambling Severity in Adolescents and Young Adults

Gambling motives and cognitive distortions are thought to be associated because both coping and financial motives to gamble appear to be predictors of gambling related cognitive distortions. Therefore, there is an argument to be made that gambling motives, cognitive distortions, and materialism share common attributes and might be related to problem gambling severity. The present paper aims to examine the relationship between these three variables, both in a clinical and community setting, to see if they can predict gambling severity. A sample of 250 participants from the general population and 31 participants from the clinical population was recruited. The results showed that the clinical sample scored higher on gambling severity, cognitive distortions, materialism, and gambling motives. It also showed that low scores in enhancement motives and higher scores in social motives and gambling related cognitions predicted gambling severity in older gamblers, whereas for younger patients, gambling severity was best predicted by higher scores in materialism and coping motives, and lower scores for enhancement and social motives. In the community sample, gambling severity correlated with gambling related cognitive distortions and with gambling motives (except for social and coping motives within the women subsample). These results testify to the importance of materialism, cognitive distortions, and gambling motives as risk factors for problem gambling both in community and clinical samples.

Gambling in children and adolescents

INTRODUCTION

Children are susceptible to problems with gambling because of developmental and cognitive immaturities, as well as a sensitivity to peer pressure and marketing.

SOURCES OF DATA

This review uses recent UK data from the Gambling Commission and from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, and evidence from recent reviews of gambling in children and adolescents.

AREAS OF AGREEMENT

The prevalence of gambling in children worldwide and in the UK is stable, having generally decreased since 2013. Online gambling is increasing in children and young people. A small minority of adolescents who gamble develop a gambling disorder. Adolescents who have problems with gambling tend to have lower self-esteem and a history of hyperactivity and impulsivity, are more likely to have parents who gamble, report less parental supervision and to use more alcohol than their peers.

AREAS OF CONTROVERSY

Children's access to slot machines, the relationship between gaming and gambling, and social media advertizing of gambling targeting children.

GROWING POINTS

An increase in online gambling and in-play sports betting by adolescents and the use of skins betting in video gaming.Areas timely for developing research: impact on young people of betting on e-gaming. How best to protect children from early exposure to gambling in the current internet age.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CLINICIANS

Need to be aware of the growing and complex phenomenon of gaming and gambling, and implications for the mental health of children and adolescents. The effective management of gambling disorders in children and adolescents requires close working with families.