Examining the Gambling Behavior of University Students: A Cross-Sectional Survey Applying the Multi-Theory Model (MTM) of Health Behavior Change in a Single Institution

Abstract

Gambling among college students can start as a pastime activity. However, this pastime can lead to problem gambling and pathological gambling. This cross-sectional study aimed to identify and explain the initiation and sustenance of quitting gambling among university students who had participated in gambling during the past month and those who had not using a novel fourth-generation multi-theory model (MTM) of health behavior change. Data were collected from a sample of 1474 university students at a large southwestern university in the U.S. between January 2023 and February 2023, utilizing a validated 39-item survey. The statistical analyses employed in this study encompassed descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, and hierarchical regression modeling. Among students who had engaged in gambling in the past month, the constructs of participatory dialogue (β = 0.052; p < 0.05), behavioral confidence (β = 0.073; p < 0.0001), changes in the physical environment (β = 0.040; p = 0.0137), and demographic variables accounted for 27.7% of the variance in the likelihood of initiating the behavior change. Furthermore, the constructs of emotional transformation (β = 0.104; p = 0.0003) and practice for change (β = 0.060; p = 0.0368), and demographic variables accounted for 22.6% of the variance in the likelihood of sustaining quitting gambling behavior. The Multi-Theory Model (MTM) can be employed to design interventions aimed at reducing problem gambling among college students.

Investigation of Gambling Behavior, Self-Confidence and Psychological Resilience Levels of University Students

“…Increasing independence from family and the desire to fill free time increases students' tendency to gamble (Wong et al, 2022). It has been noted that university students are exposed to gambling, as well as alcohol and drug use, on campuses and within university environments (Kapukotuwa et al, 2023). University years can be characterized by many problems such as the chaotic period of adolescence, separation from home and family, adapting to a new environment and uncertainty about the future.…”

Framing Slogans for Responsible Gambling Campaigns: A Tale of Two Models

“…At this juncture, responsible gambling (RG) has emerged as a pivotal concept, forming the basis for the development of measures, strategies, and policies aimed at preventing and reducing harm related to gambling [7,[10][11][12][13]. The importance of RG is underscored particularly in its role in safeguarding vulnerable cohorts of the population [14] and maintaining social stability [1,15], as exemplified in the widely influential Reno model [16]. Over the past few decades, responsible gambling has been systematically, periodically, and vigorously promoted by both the central and state governments, as well as by the gambling industry, across the globe, leading to its rapid growth as a research area [5][6][7][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20].…”

“…First, the U.S. commercial gambling industry generated a record revenue of USD 60 billion in 2022 [54]. While the majority of states have legalised casino gambling and sports betting [2,14], other forms of gambling activities such as online gambling, lotteries, horse racing, and fantasy sports are also widespread across the country [4,55,56]. Large-scale epidemiological studies indicated that the prevalence of lifetime pathological gambling in the U.S. adult population fluctuated between 0.4% and 0.6% [11].…”