Early risk and protective factors for problem gambling: A systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies

Abstract

This systematic review aimed to identify early risk and protective factors (in childhood, adolescence or young adulthood) longitudinally associated with the subsequent development of gambling problems. A systematic search of peer-reviewed and grey literature from 1990 to 2015 identified 15 studies published in 23 articles. Meta-analyses quantified the effect size of 13 individual risk factors (alcohol use frequency, antisocial behaviours, depression, male gender, cannabis use, illicit drug use, impulsivity, number of gambling activities, problem gambling severity, sensation seeking, tobacco use, violence, undercontrolled temperament), one relationship risk factor (peer antisocial behaviours), one community risk factor (poor academic performance), one individual protective factor (socio-economic status) and two relationship protective factors (parent supervision, social problems). Effect sizes were on average small to medium and sensitivity analyses revealed that the results were generally robust to the quality of methodological approaches of the included articles. These findings highlight the need for global prevention efforts that reduce risk factors and screen young people with high-risk profiles. There is insufficient investigation of protective factors to adequately guide prevention initiatives. Future longitudinal research is required to identify additional risk and protective factors associated with problem gambling, particularly within the relationship, community, and societal levels of the socio-ecological model.

Problem Gambling among Adolescent Girls in Croatia—The Role of Different Psychosocial Predictors

“…Studies of adolescent gambling behavior consistently show that girls are less involved in gambling than boys (Dowling et al, 2017). Also, there are less problem gamblers among girls than boys, with an estimated ratio between 1:3 and 1:5 (Jacobs, 2004).…”

“…According to some authors, gambling can be considered as part of the general problem behavior framework (Dickson et al, 2002; Barnes et al, 2011) and numerous studies confirm that gambling behavior occurs in comorbidity not just with substance use, but with general risky and anti-social behavior as well (Wanner et al, 2009; Dowling et al, 2017; Mishra et al, 2017). However, studies comparing boys and girls on this issue are very scarce, and include only measures of gambling frequency and not problem gambling.…”

Gambling patterns and associated risk and protective factors among Finnish young people

“…Psychosocial factors associated with gambling behaviour are generally divided into risk factors and protective factors (Dowling et al, 2017). Among personal characteristics, impulsivity in particular has been shown to be a risk factor for problem gambling (Dowling et al, 2017;Dussault, Brendgen, Vitaro, Wanner, & Tremblay, 2011;Slutske, Caspi, Moffitt, & Poulton, 2005).…”

A review of educational-based gambling prevention programs for adolescents

“…Guilamo-Ramos et al (2005) noted that preventions can be based on different theoretical perspective, one focusing on addressing unique determinants of behaviours (risk factors) and another focusing on common determinant of behaviours (protective factors). Dowling et al (2017) defined risk factors as factors that can increase the possibility of PG and protective factors as factors that can reduce the possibility of PG. Hence, prevention programs that target risk factors aim to decrease the influence of risk factors, whereas prevention programs targeting protective factors aim to increase the influence of protective factors in preventing PG.…”