Nemam običaj da ostavljam dugačke postove, ali tekst stvarno vredi pročitati .
Citat:
NASP Communiqué, Vol. 35, #7
May 2007
Gambling in Childhood and Adolescence: Information for School Personnel
By Emily M. Verbeke & Karin Dittrick-Nathan, PhD
University of Denver
Definition and Characteristics
Gambling often is thought of as an adult behavior but in recent years the appeal of gambling has increased among youth. Youth gambling is similar to adult gambling in that it is an activity that implies an element of risk, where money or something of sentimental or monetary value could be won or lost by the participant. Specifically, youth gambling activities can include sports betting, poker, dice, bingo, cards/dice/ slot machines not at a casino, cockfights, games of skill (basketball, bowling, golf, and pool), horse or greyhound racing, pitching quarters, internet gambling, raffles, scratch-and-win tickets, state-run lottery games, and pull tabs. Video game playing is not typically considered gambling since one does not bet on the result of the game. Youth problem gambling also causes disruptions in major areas of life (psychological, physical, social, and educational/vocational) and is considered to be a progressive addiction characterized by:
Increasing preoccupation with gambling
A need to bet more money more frequently
Restlessness or irritability when attempting to stop
“Chasing” losses (increasing bets to make up for previous losses)
Loss of control manifested by continuation of gambling in spite of mounting, serious negative consequences
Often there are questions about youth gambling such as, is it illegal? Is gambling an addiction? How does it differ from other forms of addiction?
Illegal activity? First, gambling age requirements differ from state to state and country to country as well as varying minimum age requirements for types of gaming (casino gambling versus playing the lottery).
A general rule of thumb is that gambling is legal for a young adult eighteen years of age or older. However, because of the many variations in gambling laws individuals should check local regulations. Gambling versus other addictions. Gambling is similar to other addictions such as drug and alcohol abuse in several ways but is different in other significant ways. Problem gamblers like drug or alcohol abusers have an inability to stop or control their behavior. Problem gamblers and persons addicted to substances are preoccupied with their addiction and need to engage in the behavior increasingly to achieve a satisfactory “high.” A significant difference between problem gambling and substance abuse is that gambling is often a “hidden” addiction not readily visible or detectable. Another significant difference is the severe financial impact gambling has on a gambler’s life. Once an individual decides to stop drinking, he or she is on the road to recovery. However, once an individual stops gambling, there still remains the pressure to account for what are usually very large sums of lost money. This fact creates even more of a temptation to “chase losses” in an attempt to win money to alleviate debt. Also, all addictions can result in negative social and emotional consequences but problem gamblers do not experience damaging physical effects (e.g. overdose, liver damage, impaired judgment) as a direct result of the gambling behavior. However, problem gamblers experience severe social consequences related to deception and loss of trust of friends and loved ones.
Why youth engage in gambling. There are four types of gamblers: social gamblers, at-risk gamblers, problem gamblers, and pathological gamblers. Individuals not only gamble for fun but also because of the potential to win money, to experience the excitement they feel from gambling, to “escape” from problems at home, school or other areas, and to alleviate feelings of depression, loneliness or other unpleasant moods. A youth’s propensity to gamble is usually increased because of a need for immediate gratification, a hope to “get rich quick,” a means of increasing social standing, or a feeling of disconnect at home, school or other settings, as well as increased access to gambling through the internet (Vitaro, Arseneault, & Tremblay, 1999; Ladouceur, Boudreault, Jacques, & Vitaro, 1999).
Prevalence. Canadian studies of students in the 7th through 11th graders (Ladouceur, Boudreaul, Jacques, & Vitaro, 1999) and 4th through 6th graders (Ladouceur, Dube, & Bujold, 1994) have indicated that approximately 87% have gambled at least once in their lifetime. In another study, 47% percent of seventh-grade children in Massachusetts had purchased lottery tickets during their lifetime and nearly 3% percent had purchased lottery tickets between 6 and 19 times during the past month (Shaffer, 1994). In an analysis of United States and Canadian youth gambling studies, Shaffer and Hall (1996) found that between 4.4% and 7.4% of adolescents exhibit problem and pathological gambling behaviors. Approximately 5.4% of adults can be considered problem gamblers, thus levels of problem and pathological gambling in adolescents could possibly be more prevalent than in the adult population.
Risk Factors
Youth with high levels of certain personality characteristics such as impulsivity, extroversion, and sensation seeking may be at higher risk for developing a gambling problem (Dickson, Derevensky, & Gupta, 2002). Current research suggests that more males than females are problem gamblers (Dickson et al., 2002). Youth with lower self-esteem compared to other adolescents are at risk for developing a gambling problem. Youth problem gamblers are likely to have a parent with an addiction (gambling, alcohol, or drug) or have parents involved with illegal activities. Parents of youth problem gamblers often have a lack of knowledge about adolescent problem gambling. As with many addictions, youth problem gamblers have higher rates of depression, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts (Dickson et al., 2002). Please note each case of problem gambling is unique. The above list includes trends within the research on problem gambling, not exclusive characteristics. For example, females can have serious gambling problems even though research indicates males are more frequently identified as problem gamblers.
Signs and Symptoms
Youth gamblers engage in many different types of gambling activities and will often display different signs and symptoms possibly indicating they have a gambling problem. The following may be observed as symptoms of youth gambling:
Associated Behavioral Changes at Home and School
Unexplained absences from school
Dropping grades
Asking for/borrowing money from peers
Withdrawal from the family
Behavior changes (e.g., day dreaming, anxious, moody, less participative, appears tired in class, changes in sleeping and eating patterns)
Lying, cheating, or stealing in school
Spending unusual amount of time reading newspapers, magazines, and/or periodicals having to do with sports
Selling personal belongings
Unexplained charges on credit card bills
Unexplained large amounts of money or other material possessions (e.g., cars, clothes, jewelry)
Gambling Specific Behaviors
Playing gambling type games on the internet
Intense interest in gambling conversations
Using gambling “lingo” in his/her conversations (e.g., bookie, point spread, underdog or favorite, exaggerated use of the word “bet”)
Bragging about winnings
Evaluation and Treatment
There are several tools to evaluate the existence or level of problem gambling in youths (see Instruments for Screening and Classification at the end of this handout). Most of the questionnaires are self-report measures and have less than twenty questions, allowing them to be quick and easy tools to use as a screening tool. Many tools have been modified to address gambling behaviors specific to youth and adolescents and are not specifically designed for youth gamblers. Caution should be taken with these instruments because their purpose is to serve as screening instruments, not as diagnostic instruments. Researchers are continuing to develop tools specific to youth and adolescent gambling. Teachers should consult mental health personnel (school psychologist, social worker, counselor) regarding concerns that might prompt screening.
As awareness of the problem of youth gambling grows, knowledge of effective treatment practices continues to grow. Just as with other addictive behaviors, cognitive-behavioral approaches can be successful with youth problem gamblers. A key aspect of treatment is helping gamblers identify their erroneous thoughts, correct them, and help them develop skills to monitor their thinking about gambling and develop replacement behaviors. An important difference between gambling addiction and other substance addictions is that gamblers cannot easily get rid of their debt. Collaborative problem-solving about debt reduction can help the gamblers feel less desperate. Self-help groups such as Gamblers Anonymous (GA) can be a very valuable part of a gambler’s recovery process. Just as screening tools were initially developed for adults, GA was created for adult gamblers. The effectiveness of GA’s self-help method of treatment has not been documented for adolescents. Another self-help group for close family members of a problem gambler is Gam-Anon which meets regularly to share their experiences, strength and hope in coping with their family member’s gambling problem.
What Schools Can Do to Help
School psychologists, social workers, and other school-based mental health professionals have a unique opportunity to identify students with potential gambling problems. Since the symptoms of youth problem gambling are not visible, professionals within the schools should routinely inquire about gambling similar to how we routinely inquire about drug and alcohol use. Schools can facilitate prevention, identification, and treatment for youth problem gamblers. School personnel can link families and students with resources within the community. It is important to ask a young person if he or she has gambled before and if they are experiencing some of the indicators that suggest there may be a problem. If a young person admits to having a gambling problem, get professional help from within the community at large as well as within the school.
Mental health professionals within the school should also closely monitor students whose parents having a known gambling problem. Children of problem gamblers are at higher risk of developing a gambling problem themselves (Gupta & Derevensky, 1998). They may also experience significant stress within the family if a parent is experiencing a gambling problem.
Effective prevention models should include the following (Dickson, Derevensky & Gupta, 2002):
Activities that increase knowledge about youth gambling problems
Experiences that help modify and change the attitude that gambling is always a harmless behavior
Discussions to help change faulty cognitions concerning the role of skill and luck, the illusion of control during gambling
Demonstrations and hands-on exercises to gain an understanding of statistical probability and superstition
Opportunities for students to learn successful coping and adaptive skills that would prevent the development of problem gambling
Prevention does not require implementation of a brand new program during the school day. Often, gambling prevention activities can be easily added to current prevention programs such as substance abuse prevention programs. Life skill classes may also be an appropriate and effective way to address problem gambling, especially during a discussion of money management. Also, discussions of probability and the role of skill and luck can occur within the math curriculum. Simply adding the topic of gambling to the discussion of addictions can raise awareness and encourage the perception that gambling can be a harmful behavior. Schools can choose to implement an independent prevention program or include problem gambling awareness and prevention in existing drug and alcohol abuse prevention programs.
Gambling has become more accepted than ever before as a past-time not only for adults but also for youth. With the widespread proliferation of gambling opportunities, an increase in gambling problems is also becoming evident. As first responders, school professionals have a unique opportunity to facilitate prevention, identification, and treatment of youth problem gamblers and to recognize the impact of problem gambling on families.
Re: "Džek pot" za nezaposlene! 'Ajmo!!!!
