Prevention of problem gambling: modifying misconceptions and increasing knowledge.

Research on gambling clearly demonstrates that today's youth are very much involved in gambling activities. As they take part in these activities, young people develop and entertain irrational thoughts about gambling and become at risk for developing severe gambling problems. In this study, a video specifically designed to correct misconceptions and increase knowledge about gambling was tested on 424 grade 7 and 8 students. The effectiveness of the video was evaluated using four different experimental conditions. Findings indicated that the video significantly improved subjects' knowledge about gambling and corrected their misconceptions. The implications of these results for the prevention of gambling problems are discussed.