Pathways to Adolescent Problem Gambling: An Application of a Pathways Model of Problem and Pathological Gambling

Abstract

As the problem gambling is becoming an alarming issue among Korean adolescents, this study aims to identify the possible pathways through which adolescents experience problem gambling by using the pathways model of problem and pathological gambling. This study used a secondary dataset provided by the Korea Center on Gambling Problems. The subjects of the study include 744 individuals who had participated in gambling, online or offline, at least once in their lifetime. From the results of the structural equation modelling, we found that irrational beliefs in gambling mediated the relationship between gambling accessibility and problem gambling; depression and irrational beliefs mediated the relationship between gambling accessibility and problem gambling; and impulsivity and irrational beliefs mediated the relationship between gambling accessibility and problem gambling. Further, the indirect effect of depression, impulsivity and irrational beliefs were all significant. Based on these findings, the authors suggest reinforcing laws and regulations dealing with adolescent’s gambling accessibility and online gambling, co-intervention for depression and gambling, and developing intervention programs focusing on impulsivity and irrational beliefs.