Papers by Darren Christensen
Journal of Gambling Studies, Mar 17, 2021
The present study provides a profile of Canadian Indigenous gambling and problem gambling using t... more The present study provides a profile of Canadian Indigenous gambling and problem gambling using the 2018 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) ( n = 23,952 adults; 1,324 Indigenous) and an online panel survey of 10,199 gamblers ( n = 589 Indigenous). The relative popularity of different types of gambling was similar between Indigenous and non-Indigenous samples. However, there was higher Indigenous participation in electronic gambling machines (EGMs), bingo, instant lotteries, overall gambling and a higher rate of problem gambling (2.0% versus 0.5%). Variables predictive of Indigenous problem gambling were EGM participation, gambling fallacies, having a mental or substance use disorder, sports betting, and male gender. Compared to non-Indigenous problem gamblers, Indigenous problem gamblers had higher substance use and lower impulsivity. In general, variables predictive of Indigenous problem gambling were the same ones predictive of problem gambling in all populations, with elevated Indigenous problem gambling rates primarily being due to elevated rates of these generic risk factors. Many of these risk factors are modifiable. Particular consideration should be given to reducing the disproportionate concentration of EGMs in geographic areas having the highest concentration of Indigenous people and ameliorating the disadvantageous social conditions in this population that are conducive to mental health and substance use problems.
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Canadian Journal of Addiction
Objective: To investigate the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID) pandemic on gambling and ... more Objective: To investigate the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID) pandemic on gambling and problem gambling in Canada. Method: A stratified national cohort of regular gamblers (n=2790) completed a comprehensive online questionnaire 6 months before the onset of the pandemic (baseline; August-November 2019), during the nation-wide lockdown (May-June 2020), and 6 months after the lockdown (December 2020). Results: Significant decreases in gambling frequency, time spent in gambling sessions, money spent, and the number of game types played occurred during lockdown followed by significant increases in all of these same measures postlockdown. However, the level of postlockdown gambling behavior was still significantly lower than prepandemic baseline levels. A significant shift to online gambling was also observed during the lockdown, which persisted postlockdown. Problem gambling scores also declined during the lockdown, with no significant change in these scores postlockdown. Consi...
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Frontiers in Psychiatry
ObjectiveThis study examined past year attempts to reduce or quit gambling among people who gambl... more ObjectiveThis study examined past year attempts to reduce or quit gambling among people who gamble generally and those with gambling problems specifically.MethodsRegular gamblers recruited from an online panel (N = 10,054) completed a survey of gambling, mental health and substance use comorbidity and attempts to reduce or quit gambling. The sample was weighted to match the gambling and demographic profile for the same subsample (i.e., past month gamblers) in a recent Canadian national survey.Results5.7% reported that they tried to cutback or stop gambling in the past year. As predicted, individuals making a change attempt had greater levels of problem gambling severity and were more likely to have a gambling problem. Of individuals with problem gambling, 59.8% made a change attempt. Of those, 90.2% indicated that they did this primarily on their own, and 7.7% accessed formal or informal treatment. Most people attempting self- change indicated that this was a personal preference (55...
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Psychology of Addictive Behaviors
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The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 2020
Objective: The purpose of this study was to provide an updated profile of gambling and problem ga... more Objective: The purpose of this study was to provide an updated profile of gambling and problem gambling in Canada and to examine how the rates and pattern of participation compare to 2002. Method: An assessment of gambling and problem gambling was included in the 2018 Canadian Community Health Survey and administered to 24,982 individuals aged 15 and older. The present analyses selected for adults (18+). Results: A total of 66.2% of people reported engaging in some type of gambling in 2018, primarily lottery and/or raffle tickets, the only type in which the majority of Canadians participate. There are some significant interprovincial differences, with perhaps the most important one being the higher rate of electronic gambling machine (EGM) participation in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The overall pattern of gambling in 2018 is very similar to 2002, although participation is generally much lower in 2018, particularly for EGMs and bingo. Only 0.6% of the population were identified as pr...
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Journal of Gambling Studies, 2021
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Journal of Gambling Studies, 2021
Actual and perceptual measures of gambling exposure are important predictors of problem gambling.... more Actual and perceptual measures of gambling exposure are important predictors of problem gambling. This study used Zero-Inflated Poisson regression analyses to assess the relative and interactive effects of actual and perceived exposure on problem gambling risk and severity. Data from the 2008 and 2009 Social and Economic Impacts of Gambling in Alberta surveys indicated actual exposure was significantly associated with problem gambling risk while perceived exposure was significantly associated with problem gambling severity. These associations differ for gamblers from emerging and mature areas. Further, actual and perceived exposure had significant interaction effects on problem gambling severity but not on risk. Implications from these findings suggest that the prevalence of problem gambling could be reduced by restrictions on gambling opportunities.
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BMJ Open, 2018
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PsycTESTS Dataset, 2016
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Journal of Gambling Studies, Nov 29, 2022
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Journal of Gambling Studies, 2020
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Encyclopedia of Psychopharmacology, 2015
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Addictive Behaviors
Introduction: Cannabis use frequently co-occurs with gambling, and evidence indicates that both a... more Introduction: Cannabis use frequently co-occurs with gambling, and evidence indicates that both acute and chronic cannabis use may influence gambling behavior. The primary aim of the present study was to further contribute to the literature on this relationship by examining data collected from a Canadian national study of gambling. Methods: Respondents consisted of 10,054 Canadian gamblers recruited from Leger Opinion's (LEO) online panel. In this study, gamblers who used cannabis were compared with non-users across a number of gambling as well as demographic and mental health variables. Results: Of the total sample, 25.4 % reported past 12-month cannabis use. Among the 2,553 cannabis-users, 21.3 % reported daily use, and 69.9 % reported using once a month or more. A total of 56.2 % indicated they had used cannabis while gambling in the past 12 months. Bivariate analysis found significant differences between cannabis use and non-use on numerous demographic, mental health, and gambling-related variables. Individuals with greater problem gambling severity scores, more hours gambling, and a larger range of gambling activities were more likely to endorse using cannabis. Hierarchical logistic regression revealed that tobacco use, and having experienced significant child abuse were predictors of cannabis use. Non-use of cannabis was associated with older age, less engagement in online gambling, and being less likely to consume alcohol. Conclusion: The present findings both corroborate previous studies and expand upon the relationship between cannabis and gambling.
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Journal of Gambling Studies, 2020
Measures of availability and accessibility are often used separately or interchangeably to assess... more Measures of availability and accessibility are often used separately or interchangeably to assess gambling exposure. This study examined the advantages of assessing gambling exposure using availability, accessibility, and a composite measure. Logistic and poisson regression analyses were used to determine the relative importance of these measures in predicting problem gambling using data from the 2008 and 2009 Social and Economic Impacts of Gambling in Alberta (SEIGA) surveys. The composite measure of gambling exposure predicted both the risk and severity of problem gambling better than the availability or accessibility measures alone. These results demonstrate that individual differences in problem gambling are better predicted by a composite measure of exposure.
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Behaviour Change, 2013
Fourteen ‘treatment resistant’ problem gamblers received 9 weeks of Dialectical Behavior Therapy ... more Fourteen ‘treatment resistant’ problem gamblers received 9 weeks of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) at specialist problem gambling services delivered in Melbourne, Australia. This study is the first to investigate the effectiveness of a brief DBT treatment for problem gambling, with a focus on measuring change in the four DBT process skills (mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion dysregulation, and negative relationships). Although there were no statistically significant improvements in measures of gambling behaviour, 83% of participants were abstinent or reduced their gambling expenditure pre- to post-treatment. Participants also reported statistically and clinically significant improvements in psychological distress, mindfulness, and distress tolerance. Moreover, there were no increases in alcohol or substance use. These results are discussed in the context of focusing on a single DBT process skill, and the benefits of using group-based approaches.
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Journal of Gambling Studies, 2021
This study analyzed the Responsible Gambling Check patron survey data from Canadian casinos and r... more This study analyzed the Responsible Gambling Check patron survey data from Canadian casinos and racinos collected from 2011-2019 (18,580 patrons and 75 venues). The results indicated increasing awareness and use over time of harm minimization tools among more frequent patrons. Despite these promising trends, it is concerning that a substantial percentage of gamblers are still unaware of the harm minimization tools available. Further, the actual impact of this awareness on responsible gambling behaviour is largely unknown. We suggest greater efforts are needed nation-wide to promote the awareness, utilization, and evaluation of these harm minimization tools.
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Journal of Gambling Issues, 2013
This paper presents the findings of a systematic search undertaken for the period January 1990 to... more This paper presents the findings of a systematic search undertaken for the period January 1990 to June 2011 of references including original, empirical findings of the relationship between accessibility of electronic gaming machines and rates of gambling involvement, problem gambling, or gambling-related treatment seeking. Titles and abstracts of 2156 references were reviewed, yielding 39 references meeting inclusion criteria. The review has revealed that the relationships between the physical accessibility dimensions of proximity and density and gambling involvement and problem gambling are complex. Research is only beginning to elucidate these dimensions, and many questions and methodological challenges remain to be addressed. The strengths, limitations, and gaps in the literature are discussed, and recommendations are made for future research. Cet article présente les résultats d'une recherche documentaire systématique, effectuée entre janvier 1990 et juin 2011, incluant des ...
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Behavioural processes, Jan 11, 2016
Steep discounting of delayed rewards is linked with a variety of unhealthy behaviors that contrib... more Steep discounting of delayed rewards is linked with a variety of unhealthy behaviors that contribute to the major causes of preventable death and disease. Growing evidence suggests that decreases in delay discounting contribute to healthier preferences. This study sought to provide preliminary evidence for the viability of developing a brief priming task to reduce delay discounting in a large, diverse group of individuals. Participants (n=1,122) were randomized to one of three conditions: Future Focus (FF), Present Focus (PF), and Non-Temporal Focus (NTF) intended respectively to decrease, increase, or have no effect on delay discounting. Participants then completed the Monetary Choice Questionnaire, a brief assessment of delay discounting rate. Participants randomized to FF exhibited significantly lower discounting rates than those randomized to PF or NTF conditions. Race, Hispanic background, social self-monitoring, education, and cigarette smoking also accounted for a significant...
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Journal of Gambling Studies , 2021
This study analyzed the Responsible Gambling Check patron survey data from Canadian casinos and r... more This study analyzed the Responsible Gambling Check patron survey data from Canadian casinos and racinos collected from 2011-2019 (18,580 patrons and 75 venues). The results indicated increasing awareness and use over time of harm minimization tools among more frequent patrons. Despite these promising trends, it is concerning that a substantial percentage of gamblers are still unaware of the harm minimization tools available. Further, the actual impact of this awareness on responsible gambling behaviour is largely unknown. We suggest greater efforts are needed nation-wide to promote the awareness, utilization, and evaluation of these harm minimization tools.
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Papers by Darren Christensen