Predicting problem gambling among poker machine players from coping styles and motivational factors.

McBain, Nicole and Ohtsuka, Keis (2001) Predicting problem gambling among poker machine players from coping styles and motivational factors. In: Culture and the gambling phenomenon: Proceedings of the 11th National Conference of the National Assoctiation for Gambling Studies. National Association for Gambling Studies, 2001, Alphington, Vic, Australia.

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Abstract

This study explored (a) whether gamblers' coping styles could successfully predict problem gambling within a poker machine playing population across Victoria; and (b) whether adding motivational factors to the prediction model comprising coping style variables could improve the prediction of problem gambling. One hundred eighty-nine poker machine gamblers (108 males, 81 females) aged between 18 and 65 years (Male M = 33.13, SD = 11.32; females M = 34.08, SD = 13.58) completed questionnaires comprising demographic questions, a version of the South Oaks Gambling Screen (Lesieur & Blume, 1993), the Coping Scale for Adults (Frydenberg & Lewis, 1993), and the Maroondah Assessment Profile for Problem Gambling (G-MAP) (Loughnan, Pierce, & Sagris-Desmond, 1999). Multiple regression analyses revealed that sex, marital and occupational status, and four coping styles significantly predicted problem gambling by accounting for 28.1% of the variance. The addition of motivational factors significantly added to the prediction of problem gambling. Sex and occupational status, coping styles, when combined with five motivation variables (beliefs about winning, feelings, situations, attitudes to self & social) accounted for 50.9% of the variance. These results highlight the importance of considering demographics, coping styles and motivational factors for the early detection of problem gambling.

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