Children and adolescents between the ages of 13–18 have become increasingly vulnerable to problem gambling in the United States and Canada. Furthermore, young adults engaging in gambling activities are more likely to drink alcohol and use other illegal substances, as well as have poorer school performances (Daghestani, Elenz, & Crayton, 1996; Huang & Boyer, 2007). For youth populations, problem gambling often leads to behavioral, psychological, social, academic, and interpersonal problems including delinquency, criminal acts, poor academic performance, school truancy, disrupted familial and peer relationships, and even suicide (Hardoon & Derevensky, 2002). Warning signs for youth problem gambling can also include unexplained absences from school or work; grades dropping; stealing money to gamble; preoccupation with gambling, lying, cheating, or stealing; and gambling to escape worries.
Definition and Scope
Pathological gambling was recognized in 1980 by the DSM-III and is currently...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Addictions Foundation of Manitoba. (2011). It’s your lucky day. Retrieved October 18, 2011, from http://www.luckyday.ca/home.html
American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
Behnsain, K., Taillefer, A., & Ladouceur, R. (2004). Awareness of independence of events and erroneous perceptions while gambling. Addictive Behaviors, 29, 399–404.
Blanco, C., Orensanz-Munoz, L., Blanco-Jerez, C., & Saiz-Ruiz, J. (1996). Pathological gambling and platelet activity: A psychobiological study. American Journal of Psychiatry, 153, 119–123.
Blaszczynski, A., & Nower, L. (2002). A pathways model of pathological gambling. Addiction, 97, 487–500.
Byrne, A. M., Dickson, L., Derevensky, J. L., Gupta, R., & Lussier, I. (2005). The application of youth substance use media campaigns to problem gambling: A critical evaluation. Journal of Health Communication, 10, 681–700.
Cunningham-Williams, R. M., Cottler, L. B., Compton, W. M., & Spitznagel, E. L. (1998). Taking chances: Problem gamblers and mental health disorders. American Journal of Public Health, 88, 1093–1096.
Daghestani, A. N., Elenz, E., & Crayton, J. W. (1996). Pathological gambling in substance abusing veterans. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 57, 360–363.
Derevensky, J., & Gupta, R. (2004). Adolescents with gambling problems: A review of our current knowledge. E-Gambling: The Electronic Journal of Gambling Issues, 10, 119–140.
Derevensky, J. L., & Gupta, R. (2006). Measuring gambling problems among adolescents: Current status and future directions. International Gambling Studies, 6, 201–215.
Dickson, L., Derevensky, J., & Gupta, R. (2004). Harm reduction for the prevention of youth gambling problems: Lessons learned from adolescent high risk prevention programs. Journal of Adolescent Research, 19, 233–263.
Felsher, J., Derevensky, J. L., & Gupta, R. (2003). Parent influences and social modeling of youth lottery participation. Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology, 13, 361–377.
Ferland, F., Ladouceur, R., & Vitaro, F. (2002). Prevention of problem gambling: Modifying misconceptions and increasing knowledge. Journal of Gambling Studies, 18(1), 19–29.
Gupta, R., & Derevensky, J. L. (1998). Adolescent gambling behavior: A prevalence study and examination of the correlates associated with problem gambling. Journal of Gambling Studies, 14, 319–345.
Gupta, R., Derevensky, J., & Marget, N. (2004). Coping strategies employed by adolescents with gambling problems. Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 9, 115–120.
Hardoon, K. K., & Derevensky, J. L. (2002). Child and adolescent gambling behavior: Current knowledge. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 7, 263–281.
Harvard Medical School Division on Addictions. (2009). Facing the odds. Retrieved October 18, 2011, from http://www.divisiononaddictions.org/curr/facing_the_odds.htm
Huang, J., & Boyer, R. (2007). Epidemiology of youth gambling problems in Canada: A national prevalence study. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 52, 657–665.
International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors McGill University. (1994–2011). Youth gambling workshop; know limits; clean break; the amazing chateau; Hooked city. Retrieved October 18, 2011, from http://youthgambling.mcgill.ca/Gambling2/en/prevention/tools.php
Jacobs, D. F. (2000). Juvenile gambling in North America: An analysis of long-term trends and future prospects. Journal of Gambling Studies, 16, 119–152.
Ladouceur, R., Sylvain, C., Boutin, C., & Doucet, C. (2002). Understanding and treating pathological gamblers. London, UK: Wiley.
Ladouceur, R., & Walker, M. (1996). Cognitive perspective on gambling. In P. M. Salkovskis (Ed.), Trends in cognitive therapy (pp. 89–120). Oxford, UK: Wiley.
Macdonald, J., & Somerset, M. (2003, May 27). Minimizing risk through preventative skills development. Paper presented to 12th international conference on gambling and risk taking. Vancouver, Canada.
Martins, S., Storr, C., Ialongo, N. S., & Chilcoat, H. D. (2008). Gender differences in mental health characteristics and gambling among African-American adolescent gamblers. American Journal on Addictions, 17, 126–134.
Messerlian, C., & Derevensky, J. (2007). Evaluating the role of social marketing campaigns to prevent youth gambling problems: A qualitative study. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 98, 101–104.
Minnesota Council on Compulsive Gambling’s North American Training Institute. (n.d.). Wanna bet? Retrieved October 18, 2011, from http://wannabet.org
Nower, L., & Blaszczynski, A. (2004). The pathways model as harm minimization for youth gamblers in educational settings. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 21, 25–45.
Turner, N. E., Macdonald, J., & Somerset, M. (2008). Life skills, mathematical reasoning, and critical thinking: A curriculum for the prevention of problem gambling. Journal of Gambling Studies, 24, 367–380.
University of Toronto. (n.d.). YouthBet.net. Retrieved October 18, 2011, from http://www.youthbet.net
Wallisch, L. (1996). Gambling in Texas: 1995 Surveys of adults and adolescent gambling behavior. Austin, TX: Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse.
Wardman, D., el-Guebaly, N., & Hodgins, D. (2001). Problem and pathological gambling in North American Aboriginal populations: A review of the empirical literature. Journal of Gambling Studies, 17, 81–100.
Welte, J., Barnes, G., Tidwell, M., & Hoffman, J. (2008). The prevalence of problem gambling among U.S. adolescents and young adults: Results from a national survey. Journal of Gambling Studies, 24(2), 119–133.
Westphal, J., Rush, J., Stevens, L., Horswell, R., & Johnson, L. J. (1998). Final report: Statewide baseline survey pathological gambling and substance abuse Louisiana adolescents (6th – 12th grades school year 96–97). Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Alcohol and Drug Abuse.
Winters, K., Stinchfield, R. D., & Fulkerson, J. (1993). Toward the development of an adolescent gambling problem severity scale. Journal of Gambling Studies, 9, 63–84.
Zitzow, D. (1996). Comparative study of problematic gambling behaviors between American Indian and non-Indian adults in a northern plains reservation. American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health Research, 7, 27–41.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this entry
Cite this entry
Mooss, A.D., Zorland, J. (2014). Gambling During Adolescence. In: Gullotta, T.P., Bloom, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Primary Prevention and Health Promotion. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5999-6_201
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5999-6_201
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-5998-9
Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-5999-6
eBook Packages: MedicineReference Module Medicine