Validity Study of the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) among distinct groups of Brazilian gamblers

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this study was to assess the internal consistency and to perform a factor analysis of the Brazilian version of the SOGS - South Oaks Gambling Screen - scale, as well as its ability to discriminate between different profiles of gamblers. METHOD: Two hundred and seventeen subjects were enrolled in the study: 46 gamblers under treatment at the Gamblers Treatment Unit of PROAD - Program for Orientation and Attention of Dependent Persons- of the Federal University of São Paulo; 96 social gamblers and 75 subjects screened as pathological gamblers recruited at the local Jockey Club, video poker and bingo clubs. RESULTS: Differences in the score means of all three groups were statistically significant and were able to discriminate between social gamblers, pathological gamblers interviewed in a gambling site and the clinical sample. The internal consistency of the 20-item scale measured by Cronbach's alpha was 0.9304. Factor analysis resulted in a three-dimensional solution accounting for 58,6% of the total variance: a first factor composed mainly by questions related to the consequences of gambling; a second factor encompassing questions related to the gambling behavior of pathological gamblers; and a third and less expressive factor involving only two questions, probably a hybrid one of difficult interpretation. CONCLUSIONS: The Brazilian version of the SOGS was a useful screen to discriminate Brazilian pathological gamblers from social gamblers as well as to differentiate clinical pathological from non-clinical pathological gamblers, and to identify different levels of severity.

Expertise and Gambling: Using Type 2 Signal Detection Theory to Investigate Differences between Regular Gamblers and Nongamblers

“…Although the SOGS has been primarily employed as a screening device to identify problem gamblers, the present study uses the SOGS as an index of gambling severity. Many studies have suggested that whilst most screening instruments have limitations, the SOGS is an appropriate measure in discriminating nonproblem gamblers from problematic gamblers (Oliveira, Silva, & da Silveira, 2002;Weinstock, Whelan, Meyers, & McCausland, 2007).…”

Pathological gambling and obsessive-compulsive disorder: towards a spectrum of disorders of volition

“…We did not assume the opposite, i.e. traits differentiating PG from controls as necessarily impulsive since the true nature of PG (impulsive, compulsive, or else) Gambling Screen (SOGS) [30][31] and Section 5 of the Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN) 32 were used for further diagnostic confirmation. Patients with psychotic symptoms were excluded.…”

Motivação para mudança de comportamento em amostra de jogadores patológicos

“…Essa escala foi validada e adaptada para a população brasileira por Oliveira et al 21 , com o objetivo de discriminar jogadores patológicos de jogadores não patológicos, como também diferenciar grupos clínicos de não clínicos e identificar graus distintos de gravidade do hábito de jogar (jogador patológico, jogador social e não tem problemas com o hábito de jogar). A escala original tem 20 itens, e 5 é o ponto de corte para avaliar se a pessoa é um provável jogador patológico.…”