The Role of Impulsivity, Sensation Seeking, Coping, and Year of Study in Student Gambling: A Pilot Study

Students are among the most prevalent gamblers with the highest incidence of problem gambling. Furthermore, research into gambling has noted certain personality traits and coping mechanisms to be highly predictive of gambling in student populations. The present study examined the role of impulsivity, sensation seeking, coping strategies, and year of study in predicting gambling frequency in students. An opportunity sample of 109 university students (53 first year students and 56 final year students) were administered a survey including the Arnett Inventory of Sensation Seeking, the Barrett Impulsiveness Scale, and the Student Coping Scale. The results indicated that impulsivity and being in the first year of study were significantly predictive of gambling frequency. The findings suggest the importance of personality traits, the year of study, and specific coping mechanisms in understanding motivations to gamble. The findings particularly suggest the importance of providing gambling educational awareness among first year students.