Public stigma towards Armed Forces personnel experiencing gambling-related harm

Gambling-related harm among Armed Forces (AF) personnel is a growing concern. Stigma is a significant barrier to seeking help for gambling-related harm. Thus, understanding public perceptions of gambling-related harm among AF personnel is crucial. The researchers recruited 386 adults living in the UK for an online experiment. Participants were presented with one of four vignettes. The vignettes featured either an AF service member or a civilian experiencing gambling-related harm or gambling without experiencing harm. Participants perceived an AF service member experiencing gambling-related harm as more dangerous than a non-AF civilian experiencing gambling-related harm. Empathy did not differ between the AF and non-AF vignettes. Regardless of military or civilian status, participants expressed higher stigma when the vignette described a person experiencing gambling-related harm. These results suggest that public stigma towards gambling-related harm is strong and shaped by military status.

See the two-page plain language summary 'Public stigma towards Armed Forces personnel experiencing gambling-related harm' in Greo's Evidence Centre.