Original scientific paper

INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS AS CORRELATES AND PREDICTORS OF ADOLESCENT GAMBLING

Anita Kajić-Selak orcid.org/0009-0009-4493-5004 ; Department of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Mostar, 88000, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

Introduction: Adolescents are at risk groups to develop problematic gambling, which over time and
intensification can develop into pathological gambling with numerous and harmful psychosocial
consequences. Today, significant emphasis is placed on individual characteristics and personality traits as
factors that influence and contribute to the development or maintenance of gambling.
Objective: To gain insight into the relationship between individual characteristics (personality traits) and
adolescent gambling. Subjects and methods: A total of 402 participants (197 males and 204 females), the
average age of 17 (M= 17.41, SD= 0.59), participated in the research. Data were collected by filling out
questionnaires, in the schools that participants attend in Mostar, in which the Gambling Activities
Questionnaire, Canadian Adolescent Gambling Questionnaire, Excitement Seeking Scale, Emotional
Competence Questionnaire (UEK-15), Emotional Empathy Questionnaire and IPIP-50 were applied.
Results: Significant differences in the intensity of gambling and harmful psychosocial consequences were
determined with regard to gender. On average, male adolescents gamble more intensively and report more
harmful psychosocial consequences of gambling compared to female adolescents. A significant correlation
between emotional competence, empathy, conscientiousness, agreeableness, sensation seeking and the
intensity of gambling of male adolescents and a significant correlation between sensation seeking and the
intensity of gambling of female adolescents was determined. Male adolescents, who are more prone to
seeking sensations, have a lower level of empathy, conscientiousness, agreeableness and emotional
competence, on average gamble more and more intensively, as do female adolescents with a more
pronounced sensation seeking. Significant predictors of male adolescents´ gambling are sensation seeking
and empathy, and female adolescents´ sensation seeking, while a significant predictor that contributes to
explaining the psychosocial consequences of gambling in both gender is also sensation seeking.
Conclusion: significant contributions of personality traits and individual characteristics in the explanation
of adolescent gambling are confirmed.

Keywords

personality traits; adolescent gambling; predictors; correlates.

Hrčak ID:

304948

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/304948

Publication date:

31.5.2023.

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