Risk factors for gambling among male and female Italian secondary school students

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Author(s): Buja, Alessandra ; Sperotto, Milena ; Genetti, Bruno ; Vian, Paolo ; Vittadello, Fabio ; Simeoni, Elisabetta ; Zampieri, Chiara ; Baldo, Vincenzo

Journal: Italian Journal of Pediatrics

Year Published: 2022

Date Added: September 26, 2022

This study aimed to identify separate gambling-related risk factors for male and female adolescents in Italy. The researchers used data from the 2014 SPS-DAP (The Department for Anti-drug Policies’ Student Population Survey). Italian students between 15 and 19 years of age were invited to participate through their school. A total of 31,661 responses were included in this study. The researchers found that gambling was more common among males than females. About 53% of males and 34% of females gambled at least once in the previous year. Males were more likely to be at risk or have problem gambling. For both males and females, gambling was linked with internet surfing, playing video games, playing sports, getting into a fight, having unprotected sex, pulling stunts, drinking alcohol at least once in the previous month, having a poor relationship with teachers, receiving pocket money from parents, and having someone in the family who gambled. Separate risk factors for males and females’ gambling behaviour were also identified.

Citation: Buja, A., Sperotto, M., Genetti, B., Vian, P., Vittadello, F., Simeoni, E., Zampieri, C., & Baldo, V. (2022). Adolescent gambling behavior: A gender oriented prevention strategy is required? Italian Journal of Pediatrics, 48, 113. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13052-022-01309-3

Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13052-022-01309-3

Keywords: adolescent gambling ; adolescents ; gambling ; gambling behaviours ; gender differences ; prevention ; risk factors

Topics: Children and Youth ; Cultural Factors ; Gambling Resources ; Information for Operators ; Prevention ; Priority Populations

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

Response Rate: 70% of invited schools participated in the study (438 schools). Unknown response rate among invited students from each school.

Study Design: Observational: Cross-sectional

Geographic Coverage: Italy

Study Population: Italian secondary school students between 15 and 19 years of age (n = 31,661; a total of 34,922 students responded to the survey but some responses were removed for being incomplete, irrelevant, or unreliable). About half (49.6%) of respondents were male. Half (50.4%) were female.

Sampling Procedure: Italian students between 15 and 19 years of age were invited to participate through their school. Secondary schools in Italy were selected to be invited to participate in the study. The schools were selected based on the region and type of school. About 70% of invited schools participated in the survey (438 schools).

Study Funding:

This study was sponsored and financed by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, realized from EXPLORA Center Associate of the University Consortium of Industrial and Managerial Economics (CUEIM), custodial institution for the survey year.