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Gender Differences in Characteristics of Chinese Treatment-Seeking Problem Gamblers

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Abstract

A total of 952 (841 men and 111 women) Chinese treatment-seeking problem gamblers completed self-report assessment forms. Female in contrast to male gamblers were more likely to be older, married, less educated, and without employment. Female gamblers also started gambling at an older age, had a shorter gambling history, preferred casino and mahjong gambling, and reported more somatic complaints and suicidal thoughts. Male and female gamblers accumulated similar amount of gambling debt and reported an average of 12 gambling-related problems on the Chinese version of the South Oaks Gambling Screen [Lesieur and Blume (Am J Psychiatry 144:1184–1188, 1987)]. Both groups were similarly troubled by their indebtedness, inability to control gambling, and gambling-related interpersonal problems. However, female gamblers had fewer means to pay their gambling debt. Given that significant gender-related differences were observed in Chinese problem gamblers, prevention and treatment services should attend to specific needs of male and female gamblers.

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Acknowledgement

The investigators would like to thank the Caritas Addicted Gamblers Counselling Center in Hong Kong for facilitating data collection for this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong

    Catherine So-kum Tang

  2. Department of Psychology, The University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, China

    Anise M. S. Wu

  3. The Caritas Addicted Gamblers Counseling Center, Tuen Mun, NT, Hong Kong

    Joe Y. C. Tang

Authors
  1. Catherine So-kum Tang
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  2. Anise M. S. Wu
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  3. Joe Y. C. Tang
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Correspondence to Catherine So-kum Tang.

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Tang, C.Sk., Wu, A.M.S. & Tang, J.Y.C. Gender Differences in Characteristics of Chinese Treatment-Seeking Problem Gamblers. J Gambl Stud 23, 145–156 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-006-9054-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-006-9054-0

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