Ripples in a pond: the disclosure to, and management of, problem Internet gambling with/in the family

Abstract

For every individual with a gambling problem it is estimated that somewhere between a further 5–17 other individuals are adversely affected by it. Yet, despite the fact that this claim is commonly circulated, Krishnan and Orford point out that research into effects of problem gambling on gamblers' families has been limited and has not explored family coping in detail. This paper addresses this lacunae by drawing on qualitative research with problem Internet gamblers and their significant others (partners, parents, children and siblings) to examine the processes through which problem gambling is first disclosed within, and then managed by ‘families’. The paper concludes by arguing that because problem Internet gambling is commonly contained as a secret within families to whom it is disclosed, and is ‘self-corrected’ by many of them, the issue and extent of problem Internet gambling does not become visible in the wider public domain.

Para cada persona que tiene un problema con el juego se estima que al menos afecta adversamente a entre 5 y 17 individuos indirectamente. Sin embargo a pesar de que estos datos se corroboran, Krishnan y Orford destacaron que investigaciones sobre los efectos del problema con el juego en las familias de los jugadores han sido limitadas y no se han estudiado en detalle la capacidad de la familia para enfrentarse. Este artículo es para investigar sobre ese vacío con investigaciones cualitativas acerca del problema de jugar en Internet y como afecta a otros (tales como pareja, padres, hijos y hermanos), para tratar de revelar los primeros síntomas que aparecen en el problema con el juego y luego ser tratados por las familias. El artículo concluye afirmando que el hecho y el alcance del problema con el juego en Internet es habitualmente mantenido en secreto por las familias que lo sufren y que suele ser corregido por ellas mismas por lo que no se llega a ser visible en el ámbito público.

Keywords:

• family
• intimacy
• Internet
• gambling
• disclosure

Palabras claves:

• familia
• intimidad
• Internet
• juego
• revelacion

Notes

1. All the names included are pseudonyms; other information which could compromise the anonymity of the informants has been amended or removed to protect the disclosure of their identities. All the quotations used are verbatum. Three ellipsis dots indicates that a minor edit has been made to remove repetitions or verbal stumbles in order to enable the quotation to be more readable. Where a more substantive edit has been made this is marked in the text in square brackets.