Predictor Variables of Online Sports Problem Gambling by College Fraternity Members

• Main Author: Stanley, Matt
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: ScholarWorks 2015
• Subjects: College; Fraternity; Gambling; Psychology
• Online Access: https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/897; https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1896&context=dissertations

The quantitative study identified predictor variables of online sports problem gambling, as measured by the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) among fraternity students at major college universities. The data were composed of 125 college fraternity students from ages 18 to 25 years of age. The average SOGS score was 1.776 with a standard deviation of 1.93. A SOGS score of 5 or greater indicates a probable problem gambler. The study used the Blaszczynski and Nower (2002) pathways model to determine how fraternity students could become problem gamblers. A stepwise regression model was run in SPSS using multiple independent variables taken from the survey to determine which of the independent variables were significantly correlated with the dependent variable, SOGS score. The study found 5 independent variables to be statistically significant: family history of gambling, competitive wagering, tobacco use, placing a wager with a friend, and wagering with funds acquired by illicit means. These 5 variables hold an R-squared (adjusted) of .26, which means that about 26% of the variability in the SOGS scores can be accounted for by these 5 variables. The study results supported the hypothesis that a complex set of social, biological, and psychological factors may contribute to determine how fraternity students could become problem gamblers. This study identified multiple individuals and parties who would benefit from further research about the ill-effects of online sports gambling among fraternity students.