Gambling, delinquency, and drug use during adolescence: Mutual influences and common risk factors
Abstract
The purpose of this study was threefold: (1) to assess the possible mutual influence between gambling, substance use, and delinquency over a two-year period during mid adolescence, (2) to test whether variables that are usually predictive of delinquency and substance use also predict gambling, and (3) to test whether the links between the three problem behaviors could be, at least partially, accounted for by common antecedent factors (impulsivity, parental supervision, and deviant friends) assessed during early adolescence. Seven hundred and seventeen boys participated in the study. Impulsivity, parental supervision, and friends' deviancy were collected when participants were 13 and 14 years of age. Gambling, substance use, and delinquency were collected through self-reports at ages 16 and 17 years. Results showed no influence or modest influence of problem behaviors on each other from age 16 to age 17 years, once current links and auto-correlations were accounted for. Conversely, the cross-sectional links between the three problem behaviors at each age were moderately high. Impulsivity, low parental supervision, and deviant friends were predictively related to each problem. Finally, a significant, although modest, portion of the covariance between the three problem behaviors was accounted for by these three predictors. The present findings contradict previous findings about the influence of gambling on other problem behaviors and support the notion of a "general problem behavior syndrome" fed by generic risk factors.
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Vitaro et al. (2001) found that drug and alcohol use at age 16 significantly positively predicted problem gambling at age 17.
“Drug and alcohol use, but not delinquency, at age 16 significantly positively predicted problem gambling at age 17.”
From Early risk and protective factors for problem gambling: a systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies (2017) · cites this paper as Vitaro et al., 2001
Vitaro et al. (2001) found that impulsivity at age 13 to 14 years was predictive of problem gambling at age 17.
“Although impulsivity and friends' deviancy at age 13 to 14 years was predictive of problem gambling at age 17”
From Early risk and protective factors for problem gambling: a systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies (2017) · cites this paper as Vitaro et al., 2001
Vitaro et al. (2001) found that delinquency at age 16 did not significantly predict problem gambling at age 17.
“Drug and alcohol use, but not delinquency, at age 16 significantly positively predicted problem gambling at age 17.”
From Early risk and protective factors for problem gambling: a systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies (2017) · cites this paper as Vitaro et al., 2001
Vitaro et al. (2001) found that parental supervision did not predict gambling problems at age 17.
“parental supervision did not predict gambling problems at age 17.”
From Early risk and protective factors for problem gambling: a systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies (2017) · cites this paper as Vitaro et al., 2001
In Vitaro et al. (2001), only 5% of the variance of gambling problems was explained by the set of predictors.
“Despite the significance of these predictors, only 5% of the variance of gambling problems was explained by the set of predictors.”
From Early risk and protective factors for problem gambling: a systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies (2017) · cites this paper as Vitaro et al., 2001
Vitaro et al. (2001) found that friends' deviancy at age 13 to 14 years was predictive of problem gambling at age 17.
“Although impulsivity and friends' deviancy at age 13 to 14 years was predictive of problem gambling at age 17”
From Early risk and protective factors for problem gambling: a systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies (2017) · cites this paper as Vitaro et al., 2001
Problem gambling behaviour is part of a constellation of other antisocial, risk-taking, violent, and delinquent behaviours in adolescence, particularly for males.
“Taken together, these findings are consistent with previous cross-sectional research that suggests that problem gambling behaviour is part of a constellation of other antisocial, risk-taking, violent, and delinquent behaviours in adolescence, particularly for males (Jacobs, 2000;Stinchfield, 2000;Vitaro et al., 2001).”
From Early risk and protective factors for problem gambling: a systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies (2017) · cites this paper as Vitaro et al., 2001
The problem gambling risk factors identified in the present review are similar to those for other problem behaviours such as alcohol, tobacco, marijuana use, and delinquency.
“Interestingly, the problem gambling risk factors identified in the present review are similar to those for other problem behaviours such as alcohol, tobacco, marijuana use, and delinquency (Bond, Toumbourou, Thomas, Catalano, & Patton, 2005;Hemphill et al., 2011;Vitaro et al., 2001;Wanner et al., 2009).”
From Early risk and protective factors for problem gambling: a systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies (2017) · cites this paper as Vitaro et al., 2001
The similarity in risk factors between problem behaviours highlights the need for global prevention efforts that target multiple problem behaviours, not just problem gambling.
“Regardless of their mechanisms, the similarity in risk factors between these problem behaviours highlight the need for global prevention efforts that target multiple problem behaviours, not just problem gambling (Scholes-Balog et al., 2014;Shenassa et al., 2012;Vitaro et al., 2001;Winters et al., 1995;Winters et al., 2002).”
From Early risk and protective factors for problem gambling: a systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies (2017) · cites this paper as Vitaro et al., 2001
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- Authors
- Vitaro, F., Brendgen, M., Ladouceur, R., & Tremblay, R. E.
- Affiliations
- Research Unit on Children's Psychosocial Maladjustment (CA)
- Université de Montréal (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Vitaro, Frank
- Venue
- Journal of Gambling Studies
- Published
- 2001-09
- Volume
- 17
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 171-190
- ISSN
- 1050-5350 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-3602
- OpenAlex
- W125716769
- Cited by
- 235
- References
- 61
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 22 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 16 · 2012: 14
- FWCI
- 5.33
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Gambling Studies (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Gambling Behavior and Treatments
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Crime Patterns and Interventions
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
- Keywords
- youth gambling, delinquency, adolescent drug use, substance use, impulsivity, parental supervision, risk factors, boys
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adolescent Behavior, Family, Follow-Up Studies, Gambling, Humans, Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders, Interpersonal Relations, Juvenile Delinquency, Male, Surveys and Questionnaires, Risk Factors, Parenting, Substance-Related Disorders
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