title: A Longitudinal Empirical Investigation of the Pathways Model of Problem Gambling.
abstract: The pathways model of problem gambling suggests the existence of three developmental pathways to problem gambling, each differentiated by a set of predisposing biopsychosocial characteristics: behaviorally conditioned (BC), emotionally vulnerable (EV), and biologically vulnerable (BV) gamblers. This study examined the empirical validity of the Pathways Model among adolescents followed up to early adulthood. A prospective-longitudinal design was used, thus overcoming limitations of past studies that used concurrent or retrospective designs. Two samples were used: (1) a population sample of French-speaking adolescents (N = 1033) living in low socio-economic status (SES) neighborhoods from the Greater Region of Montreal (Quebec, Canada), and (2) a population sample of adolescents (N = 3017), representative of French-speaking students in Quebec. Only participants with at-risk or problem gambling by mid-adolescence or early adulthood were included in the main analysis (n = 180). Latent Profile Analyses were conducted to identify the optimal number of profiles, in accordance with participants' scores on a set of variables prescribed by the Pathways Model and measured during early adolescence: depression, anxiety, impulsivity, hyperactivity, antisocial/aggressive behavior, and drug problems. A four-profile model fit the data best. Three profiles differed from each other in ways consistent with the Pathways Model (i.e., BC, EV, and BV gamblers). A fourth profile emerged, resembling a combination of EV and BV gamblers. Four profiles of at-risk and problem gamblers were identified. Three of these profiles closely resemble those suggested by the Pathways Model.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada. youssef.allami@umontreal.ca.|GRIP, Montreal, QC, Canada. youssef.allami@umontreal.ca.
authors.forename: Youssef
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7609-2405
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Allami
authors.affiliation: GRIP, Montreal, QC, Canada.|School of Psychoeducation, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vitaro
authors.affiliation: GRIP, Montreal, QC, Canada.|Department of Psychology, University of Quebec at Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brendgen
authors.affiliation: GRIP, Montreal, QC, Canada.|Department of Pediatrics, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Carbonneau
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Éric
authors.initials: É
authors.lastname: Lacourse
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada.|GRIP, Montreal, QC, Canada.|Department of Pediatrics, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada.|School of Public Health, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Richard E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Tremblay
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011792:Quebec; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D018910:Video Games / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adolescence; Early adulthood; Gambling; Longitudinal design; Pathways model