engleski

Exploring youth gambling in Croatia – pilot research results

There has been no systematic research about youth gambling in Croatia, although some problem behavior researches as well as clinical work with youth problem behaviors indicate that it is a growing and present issue. Within this context, a need for a scientific approach in exploring youth gambling in Croatia arose. A comprehensive research is planed for academic year 2010/2011 (with the financial support of Croatian Lottery), whereas in this paper the results of a pilot research conducted in the City of Zagreb will be presented. Research included 261 high-school students (58, 2% males and 41, 8% females), from three different types of school. The mean age of participants is 16, 51 years (SD=1, 15). Major aims of pilot research were to (1) explore gambling habits, (2) assess gambling risks and (3) to test different instruments in Croatian cultural context. Results show that sport betting, scratch cards, lottery and games of skills for money are the most frequent among Zagreb adolescents. Boys gamble more often than girls and their level of gambling risk is higher, whereas there are no differences in levels of gambling risks regarding type of school and age. Results also indicate more positive attitudes towards gambling among risk and problem gamblers. In accordance with other foreign researches, a strong correlation between problem gambling and other risk / delinquent behavior, as well as some psychopathic traits was found.

adolescents; gambling; pilot research

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