Examining Problematic Gambling and Mental Health in a LGBTI community: A preliminary study

Main Article Content

Philip Birch Jane Louise Ireland Clare Ruth Strickland Johann Kolstee

Abstract

This preliminary study explored gambling in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and intersex (LGBTI) community, recognising this as an under researched area. Several factors were considered alongside gambling, namely mental health, substance use, alcohol use and self-control. Participants were recruited to take part in an online survey, with a final sample of 69 obtained.  Findings revealed that gambling activities such as pub slot machines/games (58%) were the most common form of gambling, followed by scratch cards (43.5%).  The most common motive for engaging in gambling was for ‘fun’, followed by ‘because you like the feeling’.  Twenty percent of participants appeared to meet the criteria for gambling disorder, as defined by the DSM–V. Mental health variables, namely depression and anxiety, did not distinguish between problematic and non-problematic gambling whereas alcohol, drug use and self-control did; higher levels of alcohol and higher levels of drug use were present in the problematic gambling group which appeared to confirm gambling as a difficulty best placed within the addiction spectrum.  Self-control was also lower in the problematic gambling group and represented a significant predictor of problematic gambling.

Article Details

How to Cite
BIRCH, Philip et al. Examining Problematic Gambling and Mental Health in a LGBTI community: A preliminary study. Medical Research Archives, [S.l.], n. 3, june 2015. ISSN 2375-1924. Available at: <https://esmed.org/MRA/mra/article/view/202>. Date accessed: 10 oct. 2024.
Keywords
Gambling Disorder; LGBTI; Substance use; Gambling and mental health
Section
Research Articles

References

American Psychiatric Association (2012). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders – Text Revision. (5th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.

Babor, T., Higgins-Biddle, J.C, Saunders, J. B, Monteiro, M. G. (2001). AUDIT – The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test: Guidelines for Use in Primary Health Care (2nd edn). Geneva: World Health Organisation.

Blaszczynski, A., McConaghy, N. (1989) Anxiety and/or depression in the pathogenesis of addictive Gambling. International Journal of the Addictions, 24, 337–350.

Blaszczynski, A., Nower, L. (2002). A pathways model of problem and pathological gambling. Addiction, 97, 487–499.

Blume, S. (1987). Compulsive gambling and the medical model. Journal of Gambling Behaviour, 3, 237–247

Clarke, D. (2004). Impulsiveness, locus of control, motivation and problem gambling. Journal of Gambling Studies, 20, 319–345.

Grant, J. E., Potenza, M. N. (2006). Sexual orientation of men with pathological gambling: Prevalence and psychiatric comorbidity in treatment-seeking sample. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 47, 515-8.

Grant, J. (2008). Gambling problems in Gay/ Bisexual men. NALGAP the association of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender addiction professionals and their allies, XX1 (1), 1 – 8.

Liao, M. (2015) Problem Gambling and the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, NAPAFASA Problem Gambling Prevention Technical Assistance and Training Project Funded by the State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs, Office of Problem Gambling. Retrieved March 2015 from
http://www.nsgamingfoundation.org/uploads/Research/Problem%20Gambling%20and%20the%20LGBT.pdf

Stewart, S. H., Zack, M. (2008). Development and psychometric evaluation of a three–dimensional Gambling Motives Questionnaire. Addiction, 103, 1110 – 1117.

Skinner, H. A. (1982). The Drug Abuse Screening Test. Addictive Behaviour, 7, 363-371.

Tangney, J P., Baumeister, R. F., Boone, A. L. (2004). High self–control predicts good adjustment, less pathology, better grades, and interpersonal success. Journal of Personality, 72, 271 – 324.

Zigmond, A. S., Snaith, R. P (1983). The hospital anxiety and depression scale. Acta Psychiatr Scand, 67, 361–370.