Country‐ and individual‐level determinants of probable problematic gambling in adolescence: a multi‐level cross‐national comparison. (December 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Molinaro, Sabrina; Canale, Natale; Vieno, Alessio; Lenzi, Michela; Siciliano, Valeria; Gori, Mercedes; Santinello, Massimo
• Is Part Of: Addiction. Volume 109:Number 12(2014:Dec.)
• Page Start: 2089
• Page End: 2097
• Publication Date: 2014-12
• Subjects: Alcoholism -- Periodicals; Drug addiction -- Periodicals; 616.86
• DOI: 10.1111/add.12719
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0965-2140

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="add12719-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Aims</title> <p>To estimate the role of family and socio‐economic indicators of welfare state in accounting for probable problem gambling during adolescence in a representative sample of students living in nine European countries.</p> </sec> <sec id="add12719-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Design</title> <p>Data from the 2011 European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) Study were used for cross‐sectional analyses of adolescent probable problem gambling.</p> </sec> <sec id="add12719-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Setting</title> <p>Representative surveys in nine European countries.</p> </sec> <sec id="add12719-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Participants</title> <p>A total of 31 236 16‐year‐old students.</p> </sec> <sec id="add12719-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Measurements</title> <p>Respondents' probable problem gambling, socio‐demographic characteristics and parenting (regulation, monitoring and caring) were measured individually. Indicators of wealth (gross domestic product per capita, GDP), expenditure on public health (% GDP) and benefit in kind for families/children (% GDP) were obtained from national public databases.</p> </sec> <sec id="add12719-sec-0006" sec-type="section"> <title>Findings</title> <p>Students who perceived more parental caring [odds ratio (OR) = 0.92, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.85–0.98] and monitoring (OR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.53–0.62) reported less involvement in probable problem gambling. Moreover, students who perceived stronger parental regulation (OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.09–1.23) were more likely to be possible problematic gamblers. At the country level, expenditure on public health was associated negatively with probable problem gambling (OR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.78–0.97), whereas GDP per capita (OR = 1, 95% CI = 1.00–1.00) and the benefits in kind for families/children (OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 0.89–1.51) showed no association with probable problem gambling.</p> </sec> <sec id="add12719-sec-0007" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>Family characteristics and expenditure on public health may play a key role in explaining probable problem gambling among adolescents in Europe.</p> </sec> </abstract>