The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)

The WAGER Vol. 7(51) - Disordered Gambling as an International Phenomenon

The past few years have seen a surge in national gambling prevalence studies. This week’s WAGER takes a trip around the globe to review the epidemiologic evidence on disordered gambling. Table 1 presents estimates of disordered gambling in nine countries from five continents. Table 1. International Past Year Gambling Prevalence Estimates (95% Confidence Limits) * Estimate based on the SOGS measure ** Estimate based on DSM-IV diagnostic criteria *** Estimate based on a meta-analysis Researchers in different countries have observed similar rates of level 2 (i.e., problem) and level 3 (i.e., pathological) gambling. The central estimates of the prevalence of... Read more →

The WAGER Vol. 7(50) - The Motivated Scholar: Gambling in College

College students represent a segment of our population that is particularly vulnerable to problem gambling. The lifetime prevalence of problem gambling among college students is estimated to be 5.6%, almost three times that found in the general adult population (1.9%, Shaffer & Hall, 2000). This week The WAGER reports on a study by Neighbors et al. (2002) that examined gambling motivation among college students. Neighbors et al. recruited 184 college student gamblers (68% male, 70% Caucasian, mean age 19.4) enrolled in an introductory psychology course. Students completed the SOGS (Lesieur & Blume, 1987) and a questionnaire on gambling motivation. This... Read more →

The WAGER Vol. 7(49) - Hip-Hop Culture, Drugs, and Drug Policy

This week The WAGER announces the release of the third volume of the Harvard Medical School Division on Addictions web initiative, Addictions & the Humanities. The aim of this initiative is to create a public forum to discuss literature, art, music, and performing arts related to addictions, including pathological gambling. Science and technology will always help us understand addiction, but truth also may be revealed by examining art. We will publish new issues of Addictions in the Humanities quarterly. The next issue will be available in January. Below is a segment of an article from the third issue of Addictions... Read more →