College students' gambling behavior: when does it become harmful?

OBJECTIVE

The authors investigated behavioral indicators of pathological gambling in a college student sample.

PARTICIPANTS AND

METHODS

The authors administered a diagnostic interview for pathological gambling to 159 college students, who also completed a demographic questionnaire, and a self-report measure of psychological distress.

RESULTS

Consistent patterns of gambling behavior associated with pathological gambling included gambling more than 1.2 times per month, gambling more than 2.1 hours per month, intending to wager more than 6.1% of monthly income, and wagering more than 10.5% of monthly income. In addition, the combination of psychological distress, gambling frequency, and a history of parental gambling problems was significantly associated with pathological gambling in college students.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest initial markers of problematic gambling behavior in a college sample that may be used in assessment, prevention, and intervention.