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A Canadian Population Level Analysis of the Roles of Irrational Gambling Cognitions and Risky Gambling Practices as Correlates of Gambling Intensity and Pathological Gambling

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Abstract

Using population data (N = 11,562) drawn from five Canadian gambling prevalence surveys conducted between 2000 and 2005, the current study investigated the relationship between irrational gambling cognitions and risky gambling practices upon (a) gambling intensity, as measured by percent of income spent on gambling and (b) tolerance, a diagnostic indicator of pathological gambling. First, we found irrational gambling cognitions and risky gambling practices to be positively related. Second, irrational gambling cognitions moderated the relationship between risky gambling practices and gambling intensity. Specifically, people engaging in risky practices, spent less of their income on gambling when they had fewer irrational gambling cognitions compared to those with more irrational cognitions. Third, irrational gambling cognitions moderated the relationship between risky gambling practices and tolerance. Of the people engaging in risky practices, those with no irrational cognitions reported lower levels of tolerance than those with at least one irrational cognition. Interactions with gender are reported and discussed. These findings demonstrate the importance of both gambling cognitions and gambling practices upon the intensity of gambling and pathological gambling.

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Notes

  1. Note the analyses were repeated with the cut-off for endorsement of risky practices as ‘most of the time’ or higher. Using this threshold, 97.8% of the sample reported engaging in zero risky practices (compared to 89.6% of participants reported engaging in zero risky practices when ‘sometimes’ is used as the cut-off). Hence, the use of ‘sometimes’ as the cut-off afforded a wider variance in responses for analyses. Use of ‘most of the time’ as the cut-off produced the same pattern of results.

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Acknowledgements

This project was funded by the Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre (Grant # 2475). The authors wish to acknowledge the assistance of Jill Browne who helped in manuscript preparation, and Jeanne Williams who helped with data analyses.

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  1. University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada

    Natalie V. Miller & Shawn R. Currie

  2. Mental Health Information and Evaluation Unit, Calgary Health Region, Mental Health and Addictions Services, 206, 301—14th Street NW, Calgary, AB, Canada, T2N 2A1

    Natalie V. Miller & Shawn R. Currie

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Correspondence to Natalie V. Miller.

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Miller, N.V., Currie, S.R. A Canadian Population Level Analysis of the Roles of Irrational Gambling Cognitions and Risky Gambling Practices as Correlates of Gambling Intensity and Pathological Gambling. J Gambl Stud 24, 257–274 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-008-9089-5

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