title: Correlates of gambling on high-school grounds.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined adolescent gambling on school grounds (GS+) and how such behavior was associated with gambling-related attitudes. Further, we examined whether GS+ moderated associations between at-risk problem-gambling (ARPG) and gambling behaviors related to gambling partners.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 1988 high-school students who completed survey materials. Demographic, perceptions, attitudes, and gambling variables were stratified by problem-gambling severity (ARPG versus recreational gambling) and GS+ status. Chi-square and adjusted logistic regression models were used to examine relationships among study variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nearly 40% (39.58%) of students reported past-year GS+, with 12.91% of GS+ students, relative to 2.63% of those who did not report gambling on school grounds (GS-), meeting DSM-IV criteria for pathological gambling (p<0.0001). In comparison to GS- students, GS+ students were more likely to report poorer academic achievement and more permissive attitudes towards gambling behaviors. Weaker links in GS+ students, in comparison with GS-, students, were observed between problem-gambling severity and gambling with family members (interaction odds ratio (IOR)=0.60; 95% CI=0.39-0.92) and gambling with friends (IOR=0.21; 95% CI=0.11-0.39).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GS+ is common and associated with pathological gambling and more permissive attitudes towards gambling. The finding that GS+ (relative to GS-) youth show differences in how problem-gambling is related to gambling partners (friends and family) warrants further investigation regarding whether and how peer and familial interactions might be improved to diminish youth problem-gambling severity. The high frequency of GS+ and its relationship with ARPG highlights a need for school administrators and personnel to consider interventions that target school-based gambling.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States; Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT, United States.
authors.forename: Dawn W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States.
authors.forename: Rani A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Hoff
authors.affiliation: Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, United States; Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, Boston, MA, United States.
authors.forename: Corey E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Pilver
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States.
authors.forename: Yvonne H C
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Yau
authors.affiliation: Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, Guilford, CT, United States.
authors.forename: Marvin A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Steinberg
authors.affiliation: Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Problem Gambling Services, Middletown, CT, United States.
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wampler
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States; Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT, United States.
authors.forename: Suchitra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krishnan-Sarin
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States; Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT, United States; Department of Neurobiology, Child Study Center, New Haven, CT, United States; CASAColumbia, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States. Electronic address: marc.potenza@yale.edu.
authors.forename: Marc N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Potenza
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D003237:Connecticut / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D012574:Schools; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Adolescent; At-risk; Gambling; School