Abstract
Background. Although adolescent gambling has been linked to a wide array of risk behaviors, little is known regarding the correlates of gambling in adolescent girls as compared with adolescent boys.
Methods. We examined by logistic regression a nationally representative U.S. sample (n = 534) of 16- and 17-year-olds from the 1998 Gambling Impact and Behavior Study (GIBS) (1) to investigate the influence of gender on: 1) the association between gambling and psychiatric symptomatology; and, 2) gambling attitudes and behaviors.
Results. Gambling was associated with elevated rates of alcohol use and abuse/dependence in both boys and girls, and dysphoria/depression in girls only. Boy gamblers reported heavier gambling and higher rates of gambling problems than did girl gamblers.
Conclusions. Adolescent gambling may be associated with more severe psychiatric symptoms in girls than in boys, though future research will be needed to replicate and extend these findings. Gender considerations are important in understanding youth gambling and the relationship between gambling and psychiatric disorders in adolescents.
Notes
43. James KC: National Gambling Impact Study Commission: Final Report to Congress., NGISC, 1999
44. Gerstein D, Toce M: Fast Track Codebook for the Gambling Impact and Behavior Study - Youth Survey, in National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago; 1999
46. Gerstein D, Hoffmann J, Larison C, Engelman L, Murphy S, Palmer A, Chuchro L, Toce M, Johnson R, Buie T, Hill MA: Gambling impact and behavior study, National Opinion Research Center, University of Chicago, 1999