What symptoms of disordered gambling, disordered eating, anxiety, and depression co-occur? The explanatory power of network analysis

An abstract (not to exceed 200 words) Disordered gamblers often exhibit comorbid psychiatric disorders, however, little is known about how or why these disorders co-occur. We posit that comorbidity is likely the result of one or more symptoms of disordered gambling being strongly associated with one or more symptoms of other disorders. To test this idea, we conducted a network analysis to identify relations between individual symptoms of disordered gambling, disordered eating, anxiety, and depression in a representative sample of Canadians from the Bay of Quinte region of Ontario (N=4121). Results indicated that chasing one’s losses was a central symptom in the disordered gambling network. Moreover, it connected to compensatory purging behavior in the disordered eating network. Furthermore, the disordered gambling and depression symptom networks were related indirectly though the anxiety symptom network. More specifically, the disordered gambling symptom pertaining to the need to gamble with larger amounts of money to get the same feeling of excitement was associated with the anxiety symptom pertaining to excessive worrying and difficulty stopping to do so. In turn, excessive worrying was connected to the depression symptom pertaining to feeling sad, down, or blue. This research suggests a need to focus on individual symptoms when examining the interrelation among disorders. Word count = 199 A clear statement of the implications of the material to be presented, i.e., the “so what?” of the presentation (not to exceed 50 words) The results make a unique theoretical contribution to the gambling studies field in terms of understanding the core symptom(s) underlying disordered gambling and the specific symptoms that connect disordered gambling with other co-occurring disorders. These findings have basic and applied significance for the treatment of disordered gambling and comorbid conditions. Word count = 5

Financially Focused Self-Concept and Disordered Gambling Severity are Bidirectionally Related Over Time

Abstract: Financially focused self-concept refers to overvaluing the importance of financial success for self-definition and self-worth (e.g., “My value as a person depends upon the amount of money I have”). Theory suggests financially focused self-concept plays a pernicious role in the etiology and maintenance of disordered gambling. Providing support for this supposition, recent research has demonstrated as positive association between financially focused self-concept and disordered gambling symptomatology—an association that is independent of known etiological and maintenance factors. Critically, the extant research on link between financially focused self-concept and disordered gambling has been cross-sectional, which limits the ability to draw causal inferences about the direction of the relation. To the point, yet unknown is whether financially focused self-concept is an antecedent or a consequence of disordered gambling, or if the relation is bidirectional. In this presentation, we will discuss growing work about the role of financial success in disordered gambling and the results of two longitudinal studies (one student and one community sample). Both studies provide support for a bidirectional relation between financially focused self-concept and disordered gambling. The theoretical and practical significance of the findings will be discussed in terms of the prevention, progression, maintenance, and treatment of disordered gambling. (Word Count = 200/200) Keywords: Financial success, disordered gambling, etiology, longitudinal research, self-concept Implications: This program of research has both basic and applied implications for understanding the etiology and maintenance of disordered gambling. In specific, this research suggests that researchers as well as treatment providers should consider the extent to which people have a financially focused self-concept in prevention as well as intervention initiatives. (Word count = 50/50

Rewarding Responsible Gambling May Increase Tool Use and Attitudinal Loyalty: A Survey of Members Who Do and Do Not Currently Use Responsible Gambling Tools

Abstract: Loyalty programs are a ubiquitous marketing strategy in the casino industry. Via members’ player accounts, many programs offer access to a money and/or time limit setting tool. Unfortunately, the rate of engagement with limit tools is exceedingly low, which is discouraging from a responsible gambling (RG) perspective. A possible route to increase limit tool use is to reward players for using them with program points. Doing so may also place the casino in a positive light, thus increasing attitudinal loyalty. To test this idea, loyalty program members who use RG tools (N=90) and who have never used RG tools (N=93) completed a questionnaire that assessed willingness to use RG tools if rewarded and perceptions of the casino if RG tool use is rewarded (i.e., attitudinal loyalty). Results showed that willingness to use RG tools if rewarded was positively associated with attitudinal loyalty. This relation was greater among those who currently do not use RG tools. Findings suggest that providing players with rewards points for using RG tools (e.g., a limit setting tool) may increase their use, which should minimize gambling-related harms. It may also improve attitudinal loyalty, particularly among those who currently do not use RG tools. Implications: The results from the current research provide insight into a potential path to increase responsible gambling behaviors. Specifically, providing loyalty program members with rewards points for using a limit setting tool may increase players’ willingness to set a monetary limit, while also benefiting industry by fostering increased casino brand loyalty

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

Pro-diversity intervention improves Poles’ intergoup attitudes by increasing collective nostalgia for more open Polish society

Funding: This research was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Insight Grant (#435-2019-0692) to Wohl and NCN Sonata bis grant (2017/26/E/HS6/00129).The content of group-based emotions like collective nostalgia (i.e., a sentimental longing for how one’s social group used to be) matters. Yet this has been distressingly overlooked despite the predictive utility that the content of a specific group-based emotion may yield. For instance, there is growing evidence that collective nostalgia for a society that is more homogenous heightens prejudice, while collective nostalgia for a society that is more open and tolerant society increases acceptance of outgroups. In an intervention-based longitudinal study with Polish adolescents (N = 476), we tested whether the content of collective nostalgia can be influenced by highlighting particular aspects of Polish history. The intervention highlighted a history of co-existence between ingroup and outgroup members. We predicted and found that the intervention increased openness-focused nostalgia, which in turn improved intergroup attitudes. Results suggest that community-based interventions can improve intergroup attitudes by eliciting nostalgia for a more open past.PostprintPeer reviewe

Session 2-3-G: Starving to Gamble: Hunger and gambling-related craving interact to heighten persistent play among problem gamblers

Describes how hunger and gambling-related cravings relate to problem gambling

Field-based Learning in Surface and Groundwater Processes: Preparing Water Literate Citizens and Water Resource Professionals

Hydrologic field stations installed in the Cache La Poudre River basin will provide authentic field-based learning opportunities for non-majors and majors at Colorado State University to prepare a water literate citizenry and water resource professionals. Previous experience from a campus well field has demonstrated the effectiveness of local field-based instruction in water resources. Results from three semesters of perception surveys and pre- and post-knowledge tests show increased student satisfaction and knowledge gain in fundamental water concepts through the groundwater field exercise. The new hydrologic stations are designed to build upon these results to further improve undergraduate teaching and learning of water concepts in Warner College of Natural Resources (WCNR) using the Poudre watershed as the focus. Given the numerous relevant scientific and societal issues related to our hometown watershed, now is the time to develop high-impact watershed-based learning tools for undergraduates. The hydrologic field stations will span a gradient along the Poudre River and its tributaries from the mountains at CSU’s Pingree Park campus to the plains, providing a full spectrum of geologic, climatic, biologic, and land use characteristics in the watershed. The mid-canyon site at Gateway Natural Area will be the first location accessed either in the field, virtually, or both, by 1300 students in twelve courses in WCNR. Students will collect and analyze the water quantity and quality data that are relevant to the future use of the Cache La Poudre River watershed, and all student-collected data will be made available on the FLOW (Fostering Learning of Water) website. Key learning goals include mastering surface and groundwater flow measurement, flow calculation and interpretation, hydrologic and geomorphic mapping and spatial analysis, assessing physical-biotic interactions along riparian corridors, evaluating human impacts to river networks, assessing alluvial aquifer properties, and computer modeling, thus giving students the broad knowledge and scientific skills necessary to participate as water literate citizens, enter the environmental science workforce, or pursue graduate research

Estimating HIV Medication Adherence and Persistence: Two Instruments for Clinical and Research Use

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) requires lifelong daily oral therapy. While patient characteristics associated with suboptimal ART adherence and persistence have been described in cohorts of HIV-infected persons, these factors are poor predictors of individual medication taking behaviors. We aimed to create and test instruments for the estimation of future ART adherence and persistence for clinical and research applications. Following formative work, a battery of 148 items broadly related to HIV infection and treatment was developed and administered to 181 HIV-infected patients. ART adherence and persistence were assessed using electronic monitoring for 3 months. Perceived confidence in medication taking and self-reported barriers to adherence were strongest in predicting non-adherence over time. Barriers to adherence (e.g., affordability, scheduling) were the strongest predictors of non-adherence, as well as 3- and 7-day non-persistence. A ten-item battery for prediction of these outcomes (www.med.unc.edu/ncaidstraining/adherence/for-providers) and a 30-item battery reflective of underlying psychological constructs can help identify and study individuals at risk for suboptimal ART adherence and persistence

From the mouths of social media users: A focus group study exploring the social casino gaming–online gambling link

Background and aims The potential link between social casino gaming and online gambling has raised considerable concerns among clinicians, researchers and policy makers. Unfortunately, however, there is a paucity of research examining this potential link, especially among young adults. This represents a significant gap given young adults are frequently exposed to and are players of social casino games. Methods To better understand the potential link between social casino games and online gambling, we conducted three focus groups (N = 30) at two large Canadian Universities with college students who were avid social media users (who are regularly exposed to social casino games). Results Many participants spontaneously mentioned that social casino games were a great opportunity to build gambling skills before playing for real money. Importantly, some participants expressed a belief that there is a direct progression from social casino gaming to online gambling. Conversely, others believed the transition to online gambling depended on a person’s personality, rather than mere exposure to social casino games. While many young adults in our focus groups felt immune to the effects of social casino games, there was a general consensus that social casino games may facilitate the transition to online gambling among younger teenagers (i.e., 12–14 yr olds), due to the ease of accessibility and early exposure. Discussion The results of the present research point to the need for more study on the effects of social casino gambling as well as a discussion concerning regulation of social casino games in order to minimize their potential risks