Problem Gambling and the Youth-to-Adulthood Transition: Assessing Problem Gambling Severity Trajectories in a Sample of Young Adults
Problem Gambling and the Youth-to-Adulthood Transition: Assessing Problem Gambling Severity Trajectories in a Sample of Young Adults
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DOI：
10.1007/s10899-014-9501-2
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发表时间：
2015-12-01
影响因子：
2.4
通讯作者：
Roberts, Lance W.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Edgerton, Jason D.;Melnyk, Timothy S.;Roberts, Lance W.
在这项研究中，使用四波纵向数据，我们检查了年轻人样本中的问题赌博严重程度轨迹。利用潜在增长曲线模型，我们考察了问题赌博严重程度的初始水平和变化率如何受到11个时不变预测因素的影响：性别、赌博开始年龄、赌博生涯早期经历大赢、赌博生涯早期经历大输、酒精依赖、药物依赖、焦虑、抑郁、感知社会支持、控制幻觉和冲动。11个预测因素中有5个影响问题赌博严重程度的初始水平；然而，只有冲动影响了随时间变化的速度。平均轨迹为负（随着时间的推移问题赌博风险严重程度降低），但在轨迹和问题赌博严重程度的初始水平上存在显著的个体间差异。问题赌博风险随着时间的推移而减少的主要发现挑战了问题赌博不可避免的“恶性循环”的传统观念，至少在年轻人中是这样，并建议有针对性的预防活动可能是一种具有成本效益的替代方案，以接触抗拒治疗的年轻人。
In this study, using four wave longitudinal data, we examined problem gambling severity trajectories in a sample of young adults. Using latent growth curve modeling, we examined how initial level of problem gambling severity and the rate of change were affected by 11 time-invariant predictors: gender, age of onset of gambling, experiencing a big win early in gambling career, experiencing a big loss early in gambling career, alcohol dependence, drug dependence, anxiety, depression, perceived social support, illusion of control, and impulsiveness. Five of the eleven predictors affected initial levels of problem gambling severity; however only impulsiveness affected the rate of change across time. The mean trajectory was negative (lessening of problem gambling risk severity across time), but there was significant inter-individual variation in trajectories and initial levels of problem gambling severity. The main finding of problem gambling risk diminishing over time challenges the conventional picture of problem gambling as an inevitable "downward spiral," at least among young adults, and suggests that targeted prevention campaigns may be a cost-effective alternative for reaching treatment resistant youth.