Rene Carbonneau1,2,3, Frank Vitaro2,3,4, Mara Brendgen2,3,5, Richard E Tremblay1,2,3,6,7. 1. Department of Pediatrics, University of Montreal, Montréal, Canada. 2. Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center. 3. Unit on Children's Psychosocial Maladjustment, University of Montreal, Montréal, Canada. 4. School of Psychoeducation, University of Montreal, Montréal, Canada. 5. Department of Psychology, University of Quebec in Montreal, Montréal, Canada. 6. School of Public Health and Population Sciences, University College Dublin, Ireland. 7. Institute of Genetic, Neurobiological, and Social Foundations of Child Development, Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russian Federation.
Abstract
AIMS: To estimate trajectories of gambling variety from mid-adolescence to age 30 years, and compare the different trajectory groups with regard to the type and the frequency of gambling activities practiced and gambling-related problems. DESIGN: Prospective longitudinal cohort study. SETTING: Province of Quebec, Canada. PARTICIPANTS: A mixed-gender general population cohort assessed at ages 15 (n=1882), 22 (n=1785) and 30 (n=1358). MEASUREMENTS: Adolescent and adult versions of the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS). FINDINGS: Group-based trajectory analysis identified three distinct trajectories: a late-onset low trajectory (26.7% of sample) initiating gambling at age 22, an early-onset low trajectory (64.8% of sample), characterized by one to two different activities from age 15 onwards and a high trajectory (8.4% of sample), with an average of four to five different activities from age 15 to 30. Males (14.2%) were four times more likely to be on a high trajectory than females (3.5%) (P<0.001). Preferred types of gambling activities were similar across the three trajectories. Participants on a high trajectory reported higher gambling frequency at ages 15 and 30, and were more likely to experience problem gambling at age 30: 3.09 [95% confidence interval (CI)=1.66, 5.75] and 2.26 (95% CI=1.27, 4.04) times more, respectively, than late-onset low and early-onset low participants, even when socio-economic status (SES), frequency of gambling and problem gambling in adolescence, gender, age 30 education, SES and frequency of gambling were controlled. CONCLUSIONS: Engaging in several different types of gambling in early adulthood appears to be a risk factor for emergence of problem gambling.
AIMS: To estimate trajectories of gambling variety from mid-adolescence to age 30 years, and compare the different trajectory groups with regard to the type and the frequency of gambling activities practiced and gambling-related problems. DESIGN: Prospective longitudinal cohort study. SETTING: Province of Quebec, Canada. PARTICIPANTS: A mixed-gender general population cohort assessed at ages 15 (n=1882), 22 (n=1785) and 30 (n=1358). MEASUREMENTS: Adolescent and adult versions of the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS). FINDINGS: Group-based trajectory analysis identified three distinct trajectories: a late-onset low trajectory (26.7% of sample) initiating gambling at age 22, an early-onset low trajectory (64.8% of sample), characterized by one to two different activities from age 15 onwards and a high trajectory (8.4% of sample), with an average of four to five different activities from age 15 to 30. Males (14.2%) were four times more likely to be on a high trajectory than females (3.5%) (P<0.001). Preferred types of gambling activities were similar across the three trajectories. Participants on a high trajectory reported higher gambling frequency at ages 15 and 30, and were more likely to experience problem gambling at age 30: 3.09 [95% confidence interval (CI)=1.66, 5.75] and 2.26 (95% CI=1.27, 4.04) times more, respectively, than late-onset low and early-onset low participants, even when socio-economic status (SES), frequency of gambling and problem gambling in adolescence, gender, age 30 education, SES and frequency of gambling were controlled. CONCLUSIONS: Engaging in several different types of gambling in early adulthood appears to be a risk factor for emergence of problem gambling.