Examining personalized feedback interventions for gambling disorders: A systematic review

Background and aims Personalized feedback interventions (PFI) have shown success as a low-cost, scalable intervention for reducing problematic and excessive consumption of alcohol. Recently, researchers have begun to apply PFI as an intervention method for problematic gambling behaviors. A systematic review of the literature on PFI as an intervention/prevention method for gambling behaviors was performed. Methods Studies were included if they met the following criteria: the design included both a PFI group and a comparison group, and the interventions focused on gambling prevention and/or reduction. Six relevant studies were found meeting all criteria. Results Results revealed that PFI treatment groups showed decreases in a variety of gambling behaviors as compared to control groups, and perceived norms on gambling behaviors significantly decreased after interventions as compared to control groups. Conclusions Overall, the research suggests that while PFI applied to gambling is still in its infancy, problematic gamblers appear to benefit from programs incorporating PFIs. Further, PFI may also be used as a promising source of preventative measures for individuals displaying at-risk gambling behaviors. While, evidence is still limited, and additional research needs to be conducted with PFI for gambling problems, the preliminary positive results along with the structure of PFI as a scalable and relatively inexpensive intervention method provides promising support for future studies

Understanding who is calling a problem gambling helpline: Data from the Florida Problem Gambling Helpline

Many jurisdictions maintain a confidential helpline for problem gamblers and their loved ones. Dr. Derevensky will present the demographic characteristics and concerns of individuals calling the Florida Multilingual Helpline for Problem Gamblers. Specific attention will address the precipitating reasons for calling the HelpLine, gender, age and racial differences, the types of gambling most problematic, the age of onset of gambling problems, financial information (gambler’s income, money lost to gambling, to whom debts are owed), illegal acts committed by the gambler, legal consequences resulting from problem gambling, and the gambler’s mental health, emotional and domestic difficulties. Based upon the information provided by the contact (telephone calls, text messages, emails), a variety of recommendations are provided. This presentation will examine the various recommendations provided both to the gamblers and his/her significant others. The efficacy of these recommendations for the problem gambler are discussed

Mid-morning Break and Poster Sessions: Application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour within School-Based Prevention Programs for Adolescent Gambling

The theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and the concept of anticipatory negative emotions have attracted considerable research attention in the formulation of effective preventive interventions. This approach has identified several key constructs (i.e., attitudes, subjective norms, perceptions of control, anticipation of negative emotions) as valid predictors of gambling intentions and behaviour. However, no empirical investigation has utilized these constructs in the design or evaluation of a youth problem gambling prevention initiative. Objectives. The current research aims to assess the effects of a prevention video on gambling-related attitudes, subjective norms, control perceptions, anticipated negative emotions, and intentions. The video focuses on a problem gambler’s testimonial and includes dramatic vignettes depicting the potential risks and consequences associated with excessive gambling. Methodology. A sample of 328 high school students were randomly assigned to either a video or control group. Participants were assessed at pre- and post-intervention. Results. Preliminary results reveal that the video produced changes in students’: (i) attitudes towards; (ii) perceptions of control over and; (iii) negative anticipatory emotions following excessive participation in gambling. Individuals receiving the intervention were observed to have a significant decreases in positive attitudes toward gambling as well as perceptions of control over gambling, and a significant increase in their anticipation of negative emotions for becoming over-involved in gambling. Conclusions. Positive effects of the video were found. Recommendations for future research are discussed

Session 4-1-C: Social media gambling games: Impact on young people

Key concerns for youth Normalisation & positive impressions of gambling Misrepresenting the odds of winning Encouraging transition to real money gambling Development of problem

Session 3-1-C: A qualitative examination of online gambling culture among college students: Factors influencing participation, maintenance and cessation

Qualitative research: focus groups Population: college students Objective: achieve a better understanding of the factors attracting students to online gambling including the role played by social media sites. More importantly, the issue of migration between the play-for-fun gambling social media sites and online gambling was of primary interest

Session 3-1-C: Gambling Behaviors Among American College Student-Athletes: Results from the 2012 National Collegiate Athletic Association Study

Why Is the NCAA Concerned about Student-Athlete Gambling? Student-athlete well-being Contest integrit

Editorial: Problem Gambling: Summarizing Research Findings and Defining New Horizons

In 2003, Rachel A. Volberg wrote: “Why is it that gambling is not even on the radar when we consider the array of risks that adolescents must confront as they move towards adulthood?” Nowadays, after thirteen years, although much more is known about this particular form of risk behavior, there is still a general tendency, at least among laypersons, to not perceive gambling as a potential danger for youth and other population segments (e.g., individuals with migration background, seniors, sports professionals). However, the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5, American Psychological Association, 2013) included Gambling Disorder as the only condition in the Section Non-Substance-Related Disorders. Moreover, it is specified that the disorder can indeed occur in adolescence or young adulthood. Despite this fact, theoretical and applied research on problem gambling with regard to adolescence and other risk groups is still in its infancy. For this reason, it seems to be important to organize a Research Topic on gambling in Frontiers in Psychology in order to i) highlight the necessity of considering gambling as a potential harmful activity; ii) summarize the state-of-art of international research on different aspects of the topic; and iii) offer important novel findings relevant for advancing knowledge in the field of gambling. Different types of research articles will be provided including original articles, systematic/scoping reviews, meta-analyses, case reports, and commentaries. These contributions will be focused on the following most important areas in gambling research: Measurement (Which are the most widely used instruments to assess gambling-related problems as well as proximate constructs and what are their psychometric properties? Are there new instruments to detect adolescent problem gamblers?), Protective and risk factors (What do we know about ecological and individual influences on gambling behavior? Which factors affect problem gambling most and in which way?), Prevention (Which are the most promising prevention programs implemented until now? Which are necessary ingredients for effective prevention?), Treatment (When individuals seek help for their gambling-related problems, which are the clinical treatments that are offered? Do we have evidence for treatment effectiveness for different subgroups?). To try to fulfill this goal in the most comprehensive way, researchers from different countries and with specific competencies and interests will be contacted and encouraged to submit a contribution. Through the integration of international and multidisciplinary contributions, i) new challenges in the field of gambling will be identified (e.g., definition of specific at-risk groups, specification of effective interventions in terms of best practices) and ii) new research routes (e.g., the use of behavioral data) will be outlined in order to build a comprehensive understanding of problem gambling. The overall aim is to summarize the state of art, to propose original novel findings, and to outline new directions in gambling research