Year: 2012
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The current study was a quantitative, cross-sectional, and exploratory investigation of loneliness and self-control as risk factors for problem gambling behaviour in Australian adult gamblers (N = 134).The survey assessed participants' levels of loneliness using the UCLA Loneliness Scale, their level of self-control using the Self-Control Scale, and their level of gambling using the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI).Results of Pearson's correlation analyses indicated a significant positive relationship between loneliness and gambling, as well as significant negative relationships between self-control and gambling, and self-control and loneliness.Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that self-control and loneliness explained a significant 31% of the variance in gambling behaviour.Whilst these variables accounted for a large and significant portion of variance, self-control did not act as a mediator of the loneliness-gambling relationship.The results suggest that loneliness plays a primary and important role in all levels of problem gambling behaviour.
Authors: Anne McQuade, Peter Gill
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2404642474