Gambling behavior of Louisiana students in grades 6 through 12

Objectives: The prevalence of problem and gambling behavior, the average ag e of onset of gambling behavior, and the eo-occurrence of gambling disorder with substance use were determined in the Louisiana student population gra des 6 through 12, Methods: A stratified randomized sample of 12,066 student s in Louisiana schools during the 1996-1997 school year was surveyed about gambling behavior using the South Oaks Gambling Screen-Revised for Adolesce nts (SOGS-RA), Results: Fourteen percent of die students never gambled, 70. 1 percent gambled without problems, 10.1 percent indicated problem gambling in die past year (level 2 according to the SOGS-RA), and 5.8 percent indic ated pathological gambling behavior in die past year (level 3), Weekly or m ore frequent lottery play was reported by 16.5 percent, The average age of onset of gambling behavior was 11.2 years. Fifty-nine percent of the studen ts with problem and pathological gambling behavior reported frequent alcoho l and illicit drug use. Conclusions: A significant minority of Louisiana st udents in grades 6 through 12-15.9 percent-acknowledged gambling-related sy mptoms and life problems. The association of problem and pathological gambl ing with use of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana provides preliminary suppor t for the inclusion of gambling among other adolescent risk behaviors.