Applying General Strain Theory to the Relationship Between Strain from Another Person’s Gambling Behavior and Gambling Disorder

Abstract

AbstractPrior research has identified a host of factors that increase the likelihood that an individual will develop problem gambling, clinically diagnosed as Gambling Disorder (GD), most of which would be identified by criminologists as “strains” under the framework of General Strain Theory (GST). This study utilizes propositions from GST to determine whether strain from another person’s gambling may be related to why people develop GD and whether gender is a moderating factor in this relationship. Secondary data is analyzed to assess levels of strain individuals experience from another person’s gambling behavior, its relationship to the individual’s risk of Gambling Disorder, and the role gender plays in this relationship. Findings demonstrate a relationship between the strain from the perceived problem gambling of someone with a close relationship and having a gambling disorder. Experiencing strain from a spouse/partner who is perceived as a problem gambler has the strongest correlation with an individual also having Gambling Disorder. Considering gender as a moderating factor, this effect was stronger on men than women, calling into question the strong belief that it is primarily women who gamble to escape problems.