Description
Background:
Gambling is making a decision, after assessing reward and risk, to place something of value at risk with the intention of gaining something of greater value (Williams & Potenza, 2010). Pathological gambling is the inability to resist the urge to gamble despite various attempts to stop. In pathological gambling, the brain releases dopamine when one comes across pleasurable stimuli. Continuous release of dopamine overtime causes your dopamine receptors to be less sensitive thus, there is need to gamble more often to get the same effect. Concerns have been raised that pathological gambling could reach epidemic proportions, especially among young people in the near future (o’sullivan, j lees 2007), According to Guillou- landreat et al., 2016, pathological gamblers are 3- 4 times more likely to commit suicide and are more prone to alcohol use compared to the general population.
Objectives:
Study conducted to determine the prevalence and correlates of pathological gambling disorder among undergraduate students at Kabarak university.
Method:
Multistage sampling method used. Students divided into strata based on their respective schools. simple random technique applied to pick participants. A hundred participants issued with questionnaires. Data analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.
Results:
74% of the population engage in gambling, 66% are male, who are single (83%) with no source of income (53%) with majority (25%) being from school of medicine. 57% of participants stated that they use alcohol and other substance of abuse, 21% gamble to finance use of these substances.
63% of participants engage in sports betting and 62% gamble for financial gain. 31% have had suicidal thoughts due to gambling. Three of the eight diagnostic criteria are met by more than half the population.
Conclusion:
Pathological gambling is prevalent among undergraduate students at Kabarak University. It is associated with use of substance of abuse and suicidal thoughts.
| Key words | pathological gambling disorder among Kabarak students |
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