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The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Problem Gambling in New Mexico

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Abstract

The study of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) has consistently demonstrated a strong relationship with poor behavioral health outcomes. Further research is needed to understand if a specific ACE, or subcategorizations of ACEs, matter more for behavioral health outcomes. A study of the association between ACEs and problem gambling involving a racially mixed sample (13,217 participants) in New Mexico is presented to illustrate how certain ACEs may have a larger impact on behavioral health outcomes. The researchers examined: 1.) the impact that each individual ACE have on participant’s reported problem gambling; 2) which group (abuse or household challenges) had a greater odds ratio and marginal impact on participant’s self-reported gambling; and 3) which BRFSS subcategories (emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, IPV, substance abuse, mental illness, parental separation or divorce, and incarcerated household member) had a greater odds ratio and marginal impact on participant’s self-reported gambling. The results of this study indicate ACEs had a significant influence on problem gambling, and data suggests that when BRFSS data is examined in groups or subcategories there is a difference in the influence that ACEs have on problem gambling. In particular, we found that odds ratio to be significant when participants reported mental health problems in the home (OR = 1.34, 95% CI [1.02, 1.76], p < 0.04), living with incarcerated household members (OR = 1.75, 95% CI [1.28, 2.41], p < 0.001), how often adults hit each other (OR = 1.29, 95% CI [1.10, 1.52], p < 0.001), and how often anyone at least 5 years older than them forced them to have sex (OR = 1.42, 95% CI [1.10, 1.82], p < 0.01) In relation to types of abuse, There was a significant difference in self-reported problem gambling for individuals who reported sexual abuse (OR = 1.64, 95% CI [1.10, 2.46], p < 0.016), as well as participants reporting living with an incarcerated household member (OR = 2.08, 95% CI [1.34, 3.22], p < 0.001); approaching significant results also included individuals who witnessed their parents act violent towards one another (OR = 1.52, 95% CI [.99, 2.33], p < 0.055), and having parents who were separated or divorced (OR = 0.68, 95% CI [0.46, 1.00], p < 0.053). Finally, there was a significant difference in self-reported problem gambling for individuals who reported abuse (OR = 1.36, 95% CI [1.11, 1.66], p < 0.003), while participants reporting household challenges did not quite reach statistical significance (OR = 1.49, 95% CI [0.99, 1.33], p < 0.062. These findings show us that the way we ask questions about the precedence and outcomes of risky behavior matter and warrant further attention.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge Benjamin A. Jones who contributed to the analyses of the manuscript.

Funding

This study is part of a project funded by the International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG). We received grant funding from the International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG). The International Center for Responsible Gaming has received funding support from a number of contributors in the gaming industry.

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  1. Department of Individual, Family, and Community Education, University of New Mexico, Simpson Hall MSC05 3042, 502 Campus, Blvd, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA

    Kristopher M. Goodrich, Arianna Trott & Monique N. Rodríguez

  2. Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Mansfield, USA

    Martha Waller & Elizabeth Lilliott

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  1. Kristopher M. Goodrich
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  2. Arianna Trott
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Correspondence to Monique N. Rodríguez.

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The International Center for Responsible Gaming has received funding support from a number of contributors in the gaming industry.

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This study was reviewed and approve by the institutional IRB and all local data collection protocols were reviewed by the NM State Epidemiological Outcomes Workgroup (SEOW). Informed consent was signed by all participants before participating in the research.

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Goodrich, K.M., Trott, A., Rodríguez, M.N. et al. The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Problem Gambling in New Mexico. J of Prevention 44, 309–324 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10935-023-00725-3

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