The Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) is widely used measure of problem gambling in the general population. While it is a reliable and valid instrument, questions remain over the measurement invariance (MI) of the PGSI. MI describes the degree to which an instrument consistently measures the same construct (e.g., problem gambling) in different groups of people.
In this study, the researchers assessed the MI of the PGSI in a large sample of US adults who gamble. It was found that the PGSI has strong MI across the tested demographic factors (sex, age, race, income, and education level) and gambling formats (online gambling, sports gambling, and casino gambling). In other words, the PGSI measures the risk of problem gambling in a consistent way across different demographic groups and gambling formats. PGSI scores were found to be similar between men and women. But higher scores were reported by younger adults, people who bet on sports, and people who engaged in online gambling.
