Impulsivity, risk gambling, and heavy episodic drinking among adolescents: A moderator analysis of psychological health
Introduction: Adolescence is associated with an increased inclination for risk behaviors, like gambling and heavy episodic drinking (HED). While impulsivity is a well-documented risk factor, the purpose of this study is to explore if there are variables modulating this association. The study examine...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2019-12-01
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| Series: | Addictive Behaviors Reports |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352853219300987 |
| _version_ | 1818290864953229312 |
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| author | Helena C. Kaltenegger Sara Brolin Låftman Peter Wennberg |
| author_facet | Helena C. Kaltenegger Sara Brolin Låftman Peter Wennberg |
| author_sort | Helena C. Kaltenegger |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Adolescence is associated with an increased inclination for risk behaviors, like gambling and heavy episodic drinking (HED). While impulsivity is a well-documented risk factor, the purpose of this study is to explore if there are variables modulating this association. The study examined the effects of impulsivity and psychological health on risk gambling and HED, and whether psychological health functions as a moderator, i.e., protective factor. Methods: Data was extracted from the Stockholm School Survey, collected in 2014 and 2016 among students in the ninth grade of primary school (15–16 years) and second grade of upper secondary school (17–18 years) in Stockholm (n = 21,886). Impulsivity, psychological problems, risk gambling, HED, and a number of sociodemographic control variables were measured using self-report data. The statistical method was binary logistic regression. Results: Results showed that risk gambling (3.4%) and HED (22.8%) were prevalent among Swedish pupils. Impulsivity and—to a weaker extent—psychological problems as well as several sociodemographic variables were risk factors for risk gambling and HED. Furthermore, psychological problems negatively moderated the association between impulsivity and HED among girls. Conclusions: This study supports evidence that impulsivity represents a risk factor for risk behaviors, and—contrary to the a priori hypothesis—indicates that the association between impulsivity and HED in female students might be attenuated by the presence of psychological problems. Prevention measures should particularly address adolescents exhibiting the mentioned risk factors and aim at reducing psychological problems, but not necessarily target the adolescents showing impulsivity and psychological problems simultaneously. Keywords: Risk gambling, Heavy episodic drinking, Impulsivity, Psychological health, Adolescents |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T02:34:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7d2c5607491d4fb8a239c9a07591b2f0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2352-8532 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T02:34:57Z |
| publishDate | 2019-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Addictive Behaviors Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-7d2c5607491d4fb8a239c9a07591b2f02022-12-22T00:02:25ZengElsevierAddictive Behaviors Reports2352-85322019-12-0110Impulsivity, risk gambling, and heavy episodic drinking among adolescents: A moderator analysis of psychological healthHelena C. Kaltenegger0Sara Brolin Låftman1Peter Wennberg2Stockholm University, Department of Public Health Sciences, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden; Corresponding author.Stockholm University, Department of Public Health Sciences, SE-106 91 Stockholm, SwedenStockholm University, Department of Public Health Sciences, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden; Karolinska Institutet, Department of Public Health Sciences, SE-171 77 Stockholm, SwedenIntroduction: Adolescence is associated with an increased inclination for risk behaviors, like gambling and heavy episodic drinking (HED). While impulsivity is a well-documented risk factor, the purpose of this study is to explore if there are variables modulating this association. The study examined the effects of impulsivity and psychological health on risk gambling and HED, and whether psychological health functions as a moderator, i.e., protective factor. Methods: Data was extracted from the Stockholm School Survey, collected in 2014 and 2016 among students in the ninth grade of primary school (15–16 years) and second grade of upper secondary school (17–18 years) in Stockholm (n = 21,886). Impulsivity, psychological problems, risk gambling, HED, and a number of sociodemographic control variables were measured using self-report data. The statistical method was binary logistic regression. Results: Results showed that risk gambling (3.4%) and HED (22.8%) were prevalent among Swedish pupils. Impulsivity and—to a weaker extent—psychological problems as well as several sociodemographic variables were risk factors for risk gambling and HED. Furthermore, psychological problems negatively moderated the association between impulsivity and HED among girls. Conclusions: This study supports evidence that impulsivity represents a risk factor for risk behaviors, and—contrary to the a priori hypothesis—indicates that the association between impulsivity and HED in female students might be attenuated by the presence of psychological problems. Prevention measures should particularly address adolescents exhibiting the mentioned risk factors and aim at reducing psychological problems, but not necessarily target the adolescents showing impulsivity and psychological problems simultaneously. Keywords: Risk gambling, Heavy episodic drinking, Impulsivity, Psychological health, Adolescentshttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352853219300987 |
| spellingShingle | Helena C. Kaltenegger Sara Brolin Låftman Peter Wennberg Impulsivity, risk gambling, and heavy episodic drinking among adolescents: A moderator analysis of psychological health Addictive Behaviors Reports |
| title | Impulsivity, risk gambling, and heavy episodic drinking among adolescents: A moderator analysis of psychological health |
| title_full | Impulsivity, risk gambling, and heavy episodic drinking among adolescents: A moderator analysis of psychological health |
| title_fullStr | Impulsivity, risk gambling, and heavy episodic drinking among adolescents: A moderator analysis of psychological health |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impulsivity, risk gambling, and heavy episodic drinking among adolescents: A moderator analysis of psychological health |
| title_short | Impulsivity, risk gambling, and heavy episodic drinking among adolescents: A moderator analysis of psychological health |
| title_sort | impulsivity risk gambling and heavy episodic drinking among adolescents a moderator analysis of psychological health |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352853219300987 |
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