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Articles

Gambling-related problems across life domains: an exploratory study of non-treatment-seeking weekly gamblers

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Pages 604-620 | Received 08 Mar 2015, Accepted 24 Sep 2015, Published online: 08 Dec 2015
 

ABSTRACT

This study uses content analysis to provide a qualitative exploration of how life roles are affected by frequent (i.e. at least weekly) gambling, based on in-depth interviews with a community sample of 161 non-treatment-seeking frequent gamblers. Over half (51.6%) of the participants indicated problems associated with gambling and 131 examples were identified. The majority of problems were relational (50.4%), followed by financial (19.8%), work (13.7%), and school related (8.4%). Slightly less than half of participants (41.7%) reported losses due to gambling and 92 examples were provided. The most frequently reported loss was identity related (54.3%), which included self-esteem/shame (38.0%), estrangement from family (34.0%), estrangement from friends (16.0%), and estrangement from work colleagues (6.0%). Additional losses included health (29.3%) and financial (8.7%). Almost two-thirds of participants (64.6%) reported difficulty concentrating in family (18.4%), work (16.8%), and school (9.6%) activities, whereas general concentration problems comprised an additional 48.8% of the examples provided. Half of participants (49.1%) discussed behavioral withdrawal due to gambling, which included withdrawal from work (44.3%), relationships (24.5%), school (15.1%), and personal (6.6%) activities. These findings paint a complex picture of how gambling interferes with different life roles for some frequent gamblers, identifying important areas for future research and practice.

ABSTRACTO

Este estudio utiliza análisis de contenido para proveer exploración cualitativa de cómo los papeles de la vida se ven afectados por jugando los juegos de azar frecuentemente (i.e. por los menos una vez cada semana), basado en entrevistas en profundidad con una muestra (sample) comunidad de 161 jugadores frecuentes que no están buscando de tratamiento. Más de la mitad (51.6%) de los participantes indicaron que los problemas asociados con los juegos de azar y se identificaron 131 ejemplos. La mayoría de los problemas fueron relalacional (50.4%), seguido de los monetarios (19.8%), relacionada con trabajo (13.7%) y relacionada con escuela (8.4%). Un poco menos de la mitad de los participantes (41.7%) reportaron perdidas debido a los juegos de azar y se proporcionaron 92 ejemplos. La pérdida reportada con más frequencia fue la que es relacionada con la identida (54.3%), que incluyó la autoestima y la vergüenza, y el alejamiento de colegas (6.0%). Pérdidas adicionales incluyeron la salud (29.3%) y cosas monetarios (8.7%). Casi dos tercios de los participantes (64.6%) reportaron dificultad de concentración en actividades de la familia (18.4%), el trabajo (16.8%) y la escuela (9.6%), mientras los problemas generales de concentración que están compuestos por 48.8% adicional de los ejemplos proporcionados. Una mitad de los participantes discutieron la retirada conductual debido a los juegos de azar que incluyó el retiro de las actividades del trabajo (44.3%), de las relaciones (24.5%), de la escuela (15.1%) y las actividades personales (6.6%). Estos resultados pintan un cuadro complejo de cómo los juegos de azar interfieren con papeles diferentes en la vida para algunos que juegan juegos de azar frecuentemente, identificando áreas importantes para la investigación y la práctica futura.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Center for Responsible Gaming Large Grant, awarded to Adam S. Goodie (7/09–7/12). All opinions presented in this paper are those of the authors and do not represent the official views of the granting agency. There are no financial conflicts of interest or benefit arising from the direct applications of this research.

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