title: Gambling and risk-taking behavior among university students.
abstract: The present study examines the relationships between risk taking, sensation seeking, and level of gambling involvement. The intent of this research was to investigate whether risk taking and/or sensation seeking are determinants in distinguishing pathological gamblers from problem gamblers and whether risk taking and gambling behavior for a university population are positively correlated for both males and females. Results indicated that the Risk-Taking Questionnaire (RTQ), the Arnett Inventory of Sensation Seeking (AISS), and the Sensation Seeking Scale (SSS) distinguished between probable/pathological gamblers and nonproblem gamblers with probable/pathological gamblers scoring the highest on each measure. However, the RTQ was the only measure able to distinguish probable/pathological gamblers from gamblers experiencing some problems relating to their gambling behavior. Females encountering some problems resulting from their gambling behavior consistently reported higher risk-taking and sensation seeking scores than males with no gambling problems. Results indicate that excessive gamblers are significantly greater risk takers than social gamblers, a finding which could prove useful in advising treatment regimens.
authors.affiliation: McGill University, Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. gpowel@PO-Box.McGill.CA
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Powell
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hardoon
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Derevensky
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gupta
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D007174:Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012737:Sex Factors; D012919:Social Behavior; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities