title: A large-scale national study of gambling severity among immigrant and non-immigrant adolescents: The role of the family.
abstract: The primary aim of the present study was to examine the association between immigrant generation, family sociodemographic characteristics, and problem gambling severity in a large-scale nationally representative sample of Italian youth.
  
  
  
  Data from the 2013-2014 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) Survey were used for cross-sectional analyses of adolescent problem gambling. Self-administered questionnaires were completed by a representative sample of 20,791 15-year-old students. Respondents' problem gambling severity, immigrant status, family characteristics (family structure, family affluence, perceived family support) and socio-demographic characteristics were individually assessed.
  
  
  
  Rates of adolescent at-risk/problem gambling were twice as high among first generation immigrants than non-immigrant students; the odds of being at-risk/problem gamblers were higher among first-generation immigrants than adolescents of other immigrant generations or non-immigrant. Not living with two biological or adoptive parents appears to be a factor that increases the risk of becoming a problem gambler in first generation immigrants.
  
  
  
  Immigrant status and family characteristics may play a key role in contributing to adolescent problem gambling.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Natale
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Canale
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vieno
authors.affiliation: International Gaming Research Unit, Psychology Department, Nottingham Trent University, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Mark D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Paediatrics, University of Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Borraccino
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, CREPS University of Siena - AOUS, Italy. Electronic address: lazzeri@unisi.it.
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lazzeri
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Paediatrics, University of Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Lorena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Charrier
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Paediatrics, University of Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lemma
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Paediatrics, University of Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dalmasso
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santinello
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005191:Family Characteristics / Q000208:ethnology*; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D012309:Risk-Taking; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: Adolescents; Family; Family affluence; Gambling; Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC); Immigrants