Trajectories of wellbeing in people who live with gamblers experiencing a gambling problem: An 18-year longitudinal analysis of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey

Abstract

In cross-sectional gambling studies, friends, family, and others close to those experiencing gambling problems (concerned significant others ‘CSOs’) tend to report detriments to their quality of life. To date, however, there have been no large, population-based longitudinal studies examining the health and wellbeing of CSOs. We analyse longitudinal data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey to examine the 18-year trajectories of general, social, health and financial wellbeing of household CSOs (n = 477) and compare these to those without a gambling problem in the household (n = 13,661). CSOs reported significantly worse long-term wellbeing than non-CSOs in their satisfaction with life, number of life stressors, and social, health and financial wellbeing. However, both social and financial wellbeing showed a temporal effect, declining significantly for CSOs at times closer to the exposure to the gambling problem. This finding suggests a causal link between living in a household with a person with a gambling problem and decreased CSO social and financial wellbeing. Policy responses, such as additional social and financial support, could be considered to assist CSOs impacted by another person’s gambling problem.

How gambling harms others: The influence of relationship-type and closeness on harm, health, and wellbeing

“…This null finding is similar to a study comparing subjective wellbeing in household and non-household Canadian CSOs ( Tulloch, Hing, Browne, Rockloff, & Hilbrecht, 2021 ). While CSOs tended to report lower subjective wellbeing than others, recent longitudinal findings by Tulloch, Browne, Hing, Rockloff, and Hilbrecht (2023) suggest that this does not appear to be directly associated with the gambling problem.…”

Harm-to-self from gambling: A national study of Australian Adults

“…The current study presents the first national Australian examination of harm to self from gambling. Harm to affected others in Australia has previously been reported, including amongst adults Tulloch et al, 2023; and children (Suomi et al, 2022(Suomi et al, , 2023.…”

Harm-to-self from gambling: A national study of Australian adults

“…The current study presents the first national Australian examination of harm to self from gambling, although several state-based studies have been conducted ( Browne, Rockloff et al., 2020 ; Paterson, Leslie, & Taylor, 2019 ; Rockloff et al., 2019 ; Stevens et al., 2019 ). Harm to affected others in Australia has previously been reported, including amongst adults ( Hing, Russell, Browne, et al., 2022 ; Tulloch, Browne, Hing, Rockloff, & Hilbrecht, 2023 ; Tulloch, Hing, et al., 2021 ) and children ( Suomi, Watson, & Butterworth, 2022 , 2023 ; Tulloch, Hing, Browne, Rockloff, & Hilbrecht, 2022 ).…”