Why do they gamble and what does it mean? Latent class analysis of gambling motives among young male gamblers

Datos Bibliográficos

ID15398174
AutoresPawel Sleczka (0000-0002-2393-7539, German University of Health and Sport, Berlin, Germany, autor de correspondencia), Barbara Braun‐Michl (0000-0001-6276-0206, IFT Institut für Therapieforschung, Munich, Germany), Larissa Schwarzkopf (0000-0002-9402-7700, IFT Institut für Therapieforschung, Munich, Germany), Matthias Spörrle (Seeburg Castle University, Seekirchen am Wallersee, Austria), Lisa Kraus (0000-0001-7282-0217, IFT Institut für Therapieforschung, Munich, Germany)
Año2022
Volumen30
Número6
Páginas431-440
Fecha de publicación2022-05-27
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaAddiction Research & Theory (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1476-7392 • E-ISSN: 1606-6359
EditorialTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/16066359.2022.2074407
OpenAlexW4281757342
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas5
Referencias citadas41

Background Motives to gamble are important in the functional analysis of problematic gambling. This study examines the possibility of classifying young male gamblers based on their motives to gamble and compares the identified groups to validate the obtained classification.Method Based on a screening survey among 2,681 young men from Bavaria, n=170 frequent or problem gamblers (Mage = 22.3 years, SD = 2.5) were recruited to participate in a survey with a 2-year follow-up. Latent class analyses (LCA) were conducted based on baseline answers to 10 items measuring five domains of gambling motives: enhancement, coping, self-gratification, and social and financial motives. The identified classes were compared regarding baseline gambling attitudes and impulsiveness as well as gambling behavior and gambling disorder (GD) criteria at baseline and follow-up.Results Analyses revealed a four-class solution based on reported motives: ‘primarily fun-motivated gamblers’ (n=100, 58.8%), who gambled mostly for fun; ‘asset and self-gratification seekers’ (n=19, 11.2%) with a high risk of GD at baseline; ‘thrill seekers’ (n=42, 24.7%) with high impulsiveness; and ‘polymotivated coping gamblers’ (n=9, 5.3%) with a higher risk of GD than the ‘primarily fun-motivated gamblers’ in cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses.Conclusions The identified group differences support the validity of the classification. ‘Thrill seekers’ and ‘polymotivated coping gamblers’ correspond to the impulsive and emotionally vulnerable pathways described by Blaszczynski and Nower (2002) respectively. The two other groups appear to be subtypes of the behaviorally conditioned type. Motivation-based classification offers a promising approach to identifying individuals with an elevated risk of GD

Addiction · Coping (psychology · Developmental psychology · Gambling disorder · Gratification · Impulsivity · Latent class model · Psychiatry · Seekers · Young adult · Clinical Psychology · Gambling Behavior and Treatments · Psychology · Social Psychology