Problem Gambling in the College Male Students: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach
Kyoung-Eun Kim1, Jung-Hyun Choi2
1Kyoung-Eun Kim, Department of Child Welfare, Namseoul University, Daehakro, Seonghwan-eup, Seobuk-gu, Chonan,South Korer.
2Jung-Hyun Choi, Department of Nursing, Namseoul University, Daehakro, Seonghwan-eup, Seobuk-gu, Chonan, South Korea.
Manuscript received on 01 January 2019 | Revised Manuscript received on 06 January 2019 | Manuscript Published on 07 April 2019 | PP: 270-274 | Volume-8 Issue- 3C January 2019 | Retrieval Number: C10620183C19/2019©BEIESP
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© The Authors. Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and Sciences Publication (BEIESP). This is an open-access article under the CC-BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Abstract: This study aims to investigate a relationship between problem gambling and irrational gambling belief and impulsivity of college male students. Methods/Statistical analysis: Data were collected from the participants of 263 college male students in Korea. A cross-sectional research design was used to examine the relationship of problem gambling, irrational gambling belief, and impulsivity. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences and the Analysis of Moment Structures programs were used to analyze the data. Structural equation modeling techniques were utilized to examine the model fits. Findings: In this study, the level of problem gambling, irrational gambling belief, and impulsivity were 0.18±.35, 2.22±.90, and 1.97±.57 points respectively. Problem gambling was significantly positively related to irrational gambling belief (r = .38, p<. 001), impulsivity (r =.24, p<.001). The model fit indexes of the hypothesized model were; χ2 = 1.61, df = 1, p=0.21, TLI = 0.99, CFI = 0.99, RMSEA =0.05. To improve the model fit, a competing model without the path from the impulsivity to problem gambling was explored. The competing model didn’t show a better fit than a hypothesized model (χ2 = 7.42, df = 2, p=0.02, TLI = 0.94, CFI = 0.98, RMSEA =0.10). Comparing the hypothesized model with the competing model (Δχ2 df=1=5.81), the hypothesized model is a superior fit to the data. Male student’ irrational gambling belief partially mediates the association between impulsivity and problem gambling (ß = .10, p < .001; Sobel test Z = 3.51 p < .01). Improvements/Applications: This study shed light upon the mediating effect of irrational gambling beliefs on the relationship between male college students’ impulsivity and gambling addiction.
Keywords: Problem Gambling, Irrational Gambling Belief, Impulsivity, College male Students, Korea.
Scope of the Article: Social Sciences