Abstract
The prevalence of pathological gambling has been investigated in many countries over the past 10 years. In the United States and Canada, it is estimated that between 1 and 2% of the general population suffer from excessive gambling (Ladouceur, Jacques, Ferland, & Giroux, 1999; Shaffer, Hall, & Vander Bilt, 1997). Some researchers have argued that telephone surveys underestimate the prevalence of this disorder given that many gamblers may be unable to participate in them. Using the South Oaks Gambling Screen, the present study assessed the prevalence of pathological gambling among 87 individuals who rely on community assistance for their survival. The findings indicate that 17.2% meet the criteria for pathological gambling; a prevalence that is approximately 8 times greater than that of the general population. The social implications of these results are discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Abbott, M.W., &; Volberg, R.A. (1992). Frequent gamblers and problem gamblers in New Zealand: Report on Phase Two of the national survey. Research Series No. 14. Wellington: New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs.
Castellani, B., Wooton, E., Rugle, L., Wedgeworth, R., Prabucki, K., &; Olson, R. (1996). Homelessness, negative affect, and coping among veterans with gambling problems who misused substances. Psychiatric Services, 47, 298–299.
Eadington, W. R. (1997). Understanding gambling. In W. R. Eadington &; Cornelius J. A. Reno, Gambling: Public policies and the social sciences (pp. 3–9). Institute for the Study of Gambling and Commercial Gaming, College of Business Administration, Reno, NV: University of Nevada.
Iadeluca, C. (1997). Jeux compulsifs: une des causes de l'itinérance Réseau SRC Télévision (22 décembre 1997).
Ladouceur, R. (1991). Prevalence estimates of pathological gamblers in Quebec, Canada. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 36, 732–734.
Ladouceur, R. (1996). The prevalence of pathological gambling in Canada. Journal of Gambling Studies, 12, 129–142.
Ladouceur, R., Jacques, C., Ferland, F., &; Giroux, I. (1999). Prevalence of problem gambling in Quebec: seven years after the first prevalence study. Manuscript submitted for publication.
Lemieux, J. (1996). Casino de Hull: Un cadeau empoisonné. Journal le Droit, p. 5 (October 24, 1997).
Lesieur, H.R. (1994). Epidemiological surveys of pathological gambling: critique and suggestions for modification. Journal of Gambling Studies, 10, 385–397.
Lesieur, H.R., &; Blume, S.B. (1987). The South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS): A new instrument for the identification of pathological gamblers. American Journal of Psychiatry, 144, 1184–1188.
Marsolais, M. (1997). Une nouvelle catégorie d'itinérants: les joueurs. Journal de Montréal, p. 5 (22 décembre 1997).
Othtsuka, K., Bruton, E., Deluca, L., &; Borg, V. (1997). Sex differences in pathological gambling using gaming machines. Psychological Reports, 80, 1051–1057.
Shaffer, H.J., Hall, M.N., &; Vander Bilt, J. (1997). Estimating the prevalence of disordered gambling behavior in the United States and Canada: A meta-analysis. Boston: Harvard Medical School.
Templer, D.I., Keisser, G., &; Scicode, K. (1993). Correlates of pathological gambling propensity in prison inmates. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 34, 347–351.
Volberg, R.A. (1996). Prevalence studies of problem gambling in the United States. Journal of Gambling Studies, 12 (2), 111–128.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lepage, C., Ladouceur, R. & Jacques, C. Prevalence of Problem Gambling Among Community Service Users. Community Ment Health J 36, 597–601 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1001986219288
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1001986219288