Reducing erroneous gambling-related beliefs among adolescents through a probabilistic reasoning intervention

View Open Access Article View Snapshot Back to Search Results

snapshot summaries

Author(s): Primi, Caterina ; Donati, Maria Anna

Journal: Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education

Year Published: 2022

Date Added: December 22, 2022

Teaching probability can help reduce gambling-related cognitive distortions. Common gambling-related cognitive distortions include the illusion of control, predictive control, and interpretive bias. The researchers evaluated a school-based prevention intervention. The goal of the intervention was to reduce gambling-related cognitive distortions in adolescents at risk for gambling problems. A total of 72 adolescents in Italy participated in this experimental study. Among them, 22 students completed training on gambling and probability. The other 50 students did not complete training. Students who took the training had lower cognitive distortions (i.e., illusion of control, predictive control, and interpretative bias) at the end of the intervention. But there was no change in cognitive distortions for students who did not take the training.

Citation: Primi, C., & Donati, M. A. (2022). The prevention of adolescent problem gambling through probabilistic reasoning: Evidence of the intervention’s efficacy. Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42330-022-00229-y

Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42330-022-00229-y

Keywords: adolescents ; evaluation ; gambling ; interventions ; prevention

Topics: Children and Youth ; Gambling Resources ; Information for Operators ; Information for Treatment Providers ; Prevention ; Priority Populations

Conceptual Framework Factors: Resources - Harm Reduction, Prevention, and Protection ; Social - Social Demographics ; Psychological - Lifespan Development ; Social Factors ; Gambling Resources ; Resources - Interventions

Study Design: Experimental: RCT (randomized controlled trial)

Geographic Coverage: Italy

Study Population: Participants were adolescents who attended a technical high school in Florence, Italy (n = 72). On average, participants were 17 years old. Participants were mostly male (89%), had high levels of socio-economic inequality, and often engaged in other risk behaviours such as cannabis and alcohol use. Many participants also had poor school achievement, and many were immigrants.

Sampling Procedure: The researchers recruited participants who attended a technical high school in a neighbourhood of Florence (Italy). The school was randomly selected and invited to participate.

Study Funding:

Open access funding was provided by the Università degli Studi di Firenze within the CRUI-CARE Agreement.