Longitudinal patterns of gambling activities and associated risk factors in college students.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate which clusters of gambling activities exist within a longitudinal study of college health, how membership in gambling clusters change over time and whether particular clusters of gambling are associated with unhealthy risk behaviour.


METHODS
Four-year longitudinal study (2002-2006).


METHODS
Large, public university.


METHODS
Undergraduate college students.


METHODS
Ten common gambling activities were measured during 4 consecutive college years (years 1-4). Clusters of gambling activities were examined using latent class analyses. Relations between gambling clusters and gender, Greek membership, alcohol use, drug use, personality indicators of behavioural undercontrol and psychological distress were examined.


RESULTS
Four latent gambling classes were identified: (1) a low-gambling class, (2) a card gambling class, (3) a casino/slots gambling class and (4) an extensive gambling class. Over the first college years a high probability of transitioning from the low-gambling class and the card gambling class into the casino/slots gambling class was present. Membership in the card, casino/slots and extensive gambling classes were associated with higher scores on alcohol/drug use, novelty seeking and self-identified gambling problems compared to the low-gambling class. The extensive gambling class scored higher than the other gambling classes on risk factors.


CONCLUSIONS
Extensive gamblers and card gamblers are at higher risk for problem gambling and other risky health behaviours. Prospective examinations of class membership suggested that being in the extensive and the low gambling classes was highly stable across the 4 years of college.
Goudriaan
Anna E
AE
University of Missouri-Columbia and Midwest Alcoholism Research Center, Columbia, MO, USA. a.e.goudriaan@amc.uva.nl
Slutske
Wendy S
WS
Krull
Jennifer L
JL
Sher
Kenneth J
KJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult