Mental and Social Health Commons^™

Session 2-3-G: Starving To Gamble: Hunger And Gambling-Related Craving Interact To Heighten Persistent Play Among Problem Gamblers, Travis K. Sztainert, Michael Wohl, Alfonso Abizaid

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Describes how hunger and gambling-related cravings relate to problem gambling.

Session 2-2-A: Effectiveness Of Brief Interventions For Problem Gambling: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Max Abbott

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Introduction

Problem gambling a significant public health and social issue

Significant investment in publicly funded intervention services (Helpline, face-to-face counselling)

No formal evaluation of effectiveness, in general or with specific groups

Session 2-2-F: Combining Forecasts To Predict The Outcome Of Horseraces, Stefan Lessmann, Ming-Chien Sung, Johnnie E.V. Johnson, Tiejun Ma, Chung-Ching Tai

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

A variety of methods are often employed to forecast the outcome of sports events and to shed light upon the factors that influence contestants’ winning prospects. We explore the potential of combining forecasts to improve the accuracy of sports event prediction. Successful combination usually involves accurate and diverse individual predictions. Further, to accurately predict the outcome of sports events it is important to effectively account for the intensity of rivalry among contestants. Consequently, we develop modeling procedures and practices for addressing these challenges: First, in order to construct a large and diverse library of base models, we employ a range …

Mid-Morning Break And Poster Sessions: A Comparative Analysis Of Design And Motivation In Slot Machines And Video Games, Daniel Sahl

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Introduction

The slot machines of today reflect an impressive design feat: translating cold win/loss probability into an unpredictable, whimsical, and engaging experience. A successful spin offers more than a quick payout, it’s an opportunity to experience hidden secrets within the machine: creative bonus games, rich animation and movie clips, even the chance to play simultaneously with other players on linked machines. Many of these characteristics are similar to design and gameplay elements of video games. Separate research into both slots and video games often reflect similar questions about design, motivation for play and addiction. This poster presents a visual and …

Mid-Morning Break And Poster Sessions: Comorbidity Among Pathological Gamblers Seeking Treatment, Daniela Gonzalez-Sicilia, Louise Nadeau

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Context of the study

Pathological gambling prevalence in the general population: United States 0.42% (Petry et al., 2005), Canada 0.5% (Rush et al., 2008), Quebec 0.7% (Kairouz et al., 2011)

Epidemiological surveys (i.e. NESARC) indicate that pathological gambling is usually accompanied by other comorbid disorders, such as: Alcohol and drug abuse (prevalence of 25 and 27%, respectively), alcohol and drug dependence (48 and 11%), mood disorders (50%), anxiety disorders (41%), personality disorders (61%). (Petry et al., 2005)

The comorbidity found in clinical samples is usually higher than that in the general population because it is more likely for a person …

Mid-Morning Break And Poster Sessions: Survey Of Internet User’S Intentions About Gambling On A Legal Online Site, Emilie Vezina, Serge Sevigny, Christian Jacques, Isabelle Beaudoin, Isabelle Giroux

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

While many governments are considering the option of legalizing online gambling, mental health professionals and public health advocates worry that it will increase the number of problem gamblers. Results of the survey show that 3% of the sample, composed of 1009 Internet users, intended to gamble real money on the new online legal site, 6% would gamble without money, and 5% would visit the new site without gambling. Nearly 45% of those who intended to visit the legal gambling site were Internet non-gamblers in the last year. Half of online gamblers intended to gamble on the new legal site. Also, …

Mid-Morning Break And Poster Sessions: Family Gambling And Its Connection To Intergenerational Family Relationship Building, Melissa M. Sleightholm, Joan E. Norris, Joseph Tindale

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Introduction

Most research has viewed gambling as an individual activity and very little research has been devoted to the impacts of family gambling.

Bengtson and Roberts (1991) viewed intergenerational family solidarity as a comprehensive construct consisting of six components of solidarity. Affectual, Associational, and Functional solidarities, can be adapted to a gambling context.

The three family solidarity dimensions of affection, association, and function are the core components to family solidarity (Hogerbrugge & Komter, 2012).

Mid-Morning Break And Poster Sessions: Application Of The Theory Of Planned Behaviour Within School-Based Prevention Programs For Adolescent Gambling, Renee St-Pierre, Jeffrey L. Derevensky, Rina Gupta, Caroline Temcheff

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

The theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and the concept of anticipatory negative emotions have attracted considerable research attention in the formulation of effective preventive interventions. This approach has identified several key constructs (i.e., attitudes, subjective norms, perceptions of control, anticipation of negative emotions) as valid predictors of gambling intentions and behaviour. However, no empirical investigation has utilized these constructs in the design or evaluation of a youth problem gambling prevention initiative.

Objectives. The current research aims to assess the effects of a prevention video on gambling-related attitudes, subjective norms, control perceptions, anticipated negative emotions, and intentions. The video focuses on …

Mid-Morning Break And Poster Sessions: Psychological And Physiological Responses To Gambling Cues In Pathological Gamblers, Stephen P. Sharman Mr, Eve Limbrick-Oldfield, Mike R. Aitken, Henrietta Bowden-Jones, Luke Clark

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Introduction

Gamblers experience exposure to gambling cues on a daily basis, ranging from celebrity-endorsed TV commercials, to walking past a high street bookmaker. Research on substance addictions indicates that these cues are likely to activate urges / cravings to gamble.

Wulfert et al (2005) found higher ratings of subjective excitement following a horse race with a wager on in students, Kushner et al (2008) used frequent gamblers in a simulated casino environment and found positive anticipation and positive priming increased urges to gamble, however these studies used only a single self report item to measure craving. Ashrafioun et al (2012) …

Mid-Morning Break And Poster Sessions: Clinical Profile And Psychiatric Co-Morbidity Of Treatment-Seeking Individuals With Pathological Gambling, Heidi Sinclair, Sonja Pasche, Adele Pretorius, Peter Collins, Dan J. Stein

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Background:

Pathological gambling is a prevalent and disabling mental illness, which is frequently associated with mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders. However, there is relatively little data on comorbidity in pathological gambling from low and middle income countries such as South Africa.

Session 2-1-C: Amphetamine Effects And The Possible Role Of Sesitization In Pathological Gambling, Martin Zack Phd

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Background

Addiction is a brain disorder caused by chronic exposure to drugs (Leshner, 1997)

Pathological Gambling (PG) shares many features of drug addiction (Holden 2001; Petry, 2006; Potenza, 2006)

PG may be caused by chronic exposure to gambling

Neuroplasticity (Tamminga and Nestler, 2006)

Sensitization (increased dopamine; DA) response to drug or environmental signals for reward (Robinson and Berridge, 2001)

Robust sensitization: Repeated low-dose amphetamine

Session 2-1-A: Long-Term Client Outcomes The State-Wide Gambling Therapy Service South Australia, Peter W. Harvey, David Smith, Rachel Humeniuk

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Overview

1. Statewide Gambling Therapy Service, SA

• context
• service model
• routine activity, KPIs and outcomes
• ongoing research programmes

2. examples of some specific study outcomes

3. larger service evaluation outcomes

Session 2-1-C: Gambling Distortions And The Brain Reward System, Luke Clark

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Impulsive choice in PG as possible index of vmPFC dysfunction

Functional imaging of gambling near-misses

Gambling distortions following brain injury (ventromedial PFC vs insula damage)

An Exploratory Investigation Of Teacher Job Satisfaction And Involvement In Extracurricular Programming, Winfield Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this exploratory study were to (a) examine secondary teachers' overall job satisfaction and satisfaction specific to extracurricular programming involvement, (b) ascertain whether extracurricular involvement affects overall job satisfaction, and (c) identity the factors that are most influential over teachers' satisfaction specific to extracurricular involvement. A review of the existing literature presents factors previously implicated in affecting teacher job satisfaction. Extrapolations are made regarding the presence of these same factors in the extracurricular programming setting. To investigate these extrapolations, data was collected via secondary teachers' completion of the Extracurricular Programming Questionnaire, a survey developed by the principal researcher. …

Session 1-4-C: Gambling Behavior And Motivation Across Uk Older Adult Populations, Julie Pattinson, Adrian Parke Dr

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Target Group: UK Older adults 65+

Aim: Develop knowledge and understanding of gambling related harm

Background: limited empirical research - ignored

High prevalence detected

Session 1-4-C: Gambling In The Correctional System In Ontario, Nigel E. Turner Ph.D.

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Why study gambling in a correctional setting?

Desperation over gambling losses
High prevalence amongst offenders.
Recidivism risk
Gambling inside: recreation or security risk

Session 1-4-D: Leading Together: The Evolution Of Responsible Gambling In Canada, Jim Engel, Paul Pellizzari, Paul W. Smith

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Agenda

Background: Gambling in Canada
Responsible Gambling Framework
The notion of “player sustainability”
Video Lottery Terminals (VLTs)
Internet gambling
Branding RG
Data analytics
Voluntary Self-Exclusion
RG Standards
Leading together: collaboration across jurisdictions

Session 1-4-A: Comparing Longitudinal Studies Of Gambling: Methods & Findin, Rachel A. Volberg

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

What do we know about risk factors for PG?

Vast majority of research carried out on PG risk factors has involved cross-sectional surveys

PG status at a single point in time statistically correlated with behaviors & characteristics assessed at the same time

Cannot resolve the “chicken and egg” problem

• Does PG precede other disorders?
• Do other disorders precede PG?
• Or does one underlying condition account for both?

Session 1-4-A: Pathways Of Gambling Problem Severity: Follow-Up From A General Population Survey, Sylvia Kairouz, Christelle Luce

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Study objectives

Describe trajectories of change in gambling patterns and problems among a cohort of gamblers;

Model change over time based on life events.

Session 1-4-B: Gambling And Marijuana Use In The Netherlands: Is Legalization The Best Tool For Dealing With "Naughty Habits?", William N. Thompson, Laura K. Thompson

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

In 1976, the Netherlands embraced two policy initiatives which encompassed similar objectives. The policies sought to control “undesired substances” via the process of legalization. One legalization process involved casino gambling. The policies have sometimes led to desired results (the right road), while at other times they have led to undesirable results (the wrong road). Now in 2013, without an observable crossroad or even fork in the road, The Netherlands is poised to deviate from a right road to travel down a wrong road by placing rather severe restrictions upon the operations of “Coffee Houses” which have been “serving” customers measured …