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Disordered gambling and co-morbidity of psychiatric disorders among college students: An examination of problem drinking, anxiety and depression

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Abstract

We assessed the occurrence of co-morbid psychiatric disorders (i.e., problem drinking, anxiety, and depression) among college students who met the threshold for disordered gambling. The participants included a large sample of undergraduate students (n = 1,430) who were enrolled in an introductory health course at a large, southeastern university in Spring 2011 and completed an online assessment that included scales to assess disordered gambling, problem drinking, anxiety, and depression. We calculated screening scores, computed prevalence rates for each disorder, and calculated Pearson correlations and Chi square tests to examine correlations and co-morbid relationships between the four disorders. Analyses indicated that all disorders were significantly associated (p < .01) except for disordered gambling and anxiety. Because college students who experience disordered gambling (and other psychiatric disorders) are at increased risk of experiencing co-occurring disorders, it might be useful for college health professionals to concurrently screen and intervene for co-occurring disorders.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health Education and Promotion, East Carolina University, 2206 Carol Belk Building, Greenville, NC, 27858, USA

    Ryan J. Martin

  2. College of Human Environmental Sciences, University of Alabama, 106 Doster Hall, Box 870158, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35487, USA

    Stuart Usdan

  3. Department of Health Education and Promotion, East Carolina University, 2302 Carol Belk Building, Greenville, NC, 27858, USA

    Jennifer Cremeens

  4. Department of Health Education and Promotion, East Carolina University, 3208 Carol Belk Building, Greenville, NC, 27858, USA

    Karen Vail-Smith

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  1. Ryan J. Martin
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  2. Stuart Usdan
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  3. Jennifer Cremeens
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  4. Karen Vail-Smith
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Correspondence to Ryan J. Martin.

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Martin, R.J., Usdan, S., Cremeens, J. et al. Disordered gambling and co-morbidity of psychiatric disorders among college students: An examination of problem drinking, anxiety and depression. J Gambl Stud 30, 321–333 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-013-9367-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-013-9367-8

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