Behavioral Sciences, Vol. 15, Pages 653: Correlates of Gambling Behaviour Among Adolescents: The Role of Psychological Factors, School Behaviours, and Normative Perceptions

Behavioral Sciences doi: 10.3390/bs15050653

Authors:
Mariaelisa Renna
Emina Mehanović
Giulia Giraudi
Alberto Sciutto
Erica Viola
Marco Martorana
Serena Vadrucci
Maria Ginechesi
Claudia Vullo
Adalgisa Ceccano
Chiara Andrà
Pietro Casella
Fabrizio Faggiano
Federica Vigna-Taglianti
the GAPUnplugged Coordination Group the GAPUnplugged Coordination Group

Background: Gambling risk behaviour is an emerging problem among adolescents. This study investigated the role of psychological factors, school behaviours, and normative perceptions as correlates of gambling among 12–14-year-old students in Italy. Methods: The study included 1822 students from 29 secondary schools in two Italian Regions (Piedmont and Lazio) who participated in the baseline survey of the experimental controlled trial “GAPUnplugged”. Results: The prevalence of gambling in the last 30 days was 36.4%. The mean age was 13.1 years. Multilevel mixed-effect regression models identified high positive attitudes, high performance beliefs, low risk perceptions toward gambling, friends’ gambling, friends’ approval of gambling, and gambling with friends as independent correlates of adolescent gambling behaviour. Conclusions: It appears essential to design and implement preventive strategies addressing these factors among early adolescents in order to reduce gambling behaviours and their consequences in later ages.

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Mariaelisa Renna www.mdpi.com