Examining the relationship between non-suicidal self-harm and suicidality within the past 12-months and gaming problems in Norwegian full-time students.

BACKGROUND: Although gaming problems are associated with poor mental health, few population-based studies have examined its association with self-harm and suicidality. This study investigates the association between gaming problems, non-suicidal self-harm and suicidality within the past year, stratified by sex among Norwegian full-time students. METHODS: Data derived from the Norwegian Students' Health and Wellbeing Study 2022 (N = 59,544). The respondents were categorized into non-gamers, recreational gamers, engaged gamers, problematic gamers, and addicted gamers based on the Game Addiction Scale for Adolescents. Log-link binomial regression models, stratified by sex, adjusted for age, were used to estimate the risk ratio of non-suicidal self-harm (ideation and behavior) and suicidal behaviors (ideation and attempt) across different levels of gaming problems. RESULTS: Among females, the risk of non-suicidal self-harm and suicidal ideation increased from non-gamer to problem gamer, with no differences between problem and addicted gamers. Among males, the risk of non-suicidal self-harm increased from non-gamers to engaged gamers, but no differences were observed between engaged, problematic, and addicted gamers. No sex × gaming category interaction was observed for suicide attempts. Engaged and addicted gamers had higher risks of suicide attempt than non-gamers and recreational gamers. CONCLUSIONS: Gaming problems are associated with increased risk of non-suicidal self-harm and suicidal ideation among females. Among males, no differences were observed between engaged, problem and addicted gamers. The results highlight sex when studying health related outcomes and their association to level of gaming problems. Longitudinal studies are warranted to uncover the temporal mechanisms between IGD, non-suicidal self-harm and suicidality.

Suicidality among individuals with gambling problems: A meta-analytic literature review.

Gambling problems have consistently been linked to suicidality, including suicidal ideation, attempts, and suicide. However, the magnitude of the relationship has varied significantly across studies and the potential causal link between gambling problems and suicidality is currently unclear. A meta-analytic literature review was conducted to (a) synthesize pooled prevalence rates of suicidality among individuals with gambling problems; (b) determine if individuals with gambling problems had an increased likelihood of reporting suicidality compared to individuals without gambling problems; and (c) review evidence on causality and directionality. A search in Web of Science, APA PsycInfo, APA PsycNet, Medline, CINAHL, ProQuest, Embase, and Google Scholar electronic databases identified 107 unique studies (N = 4,691,899) that were included for review. Studies were included if they were available in any European language and provided sufficient data for the calculation of prevalence rates or effect sizes. Two researchers extracted the data independently using a predefined coding schema that included the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. Random-effects meta-analyses yielded pooled prevalence rates of 31.6% (95% CI [29.1%, 34.3%]) for lifetime suicidal ideation and 13.2% (95% CI [11.3%, 15.5%]) for lifetime suicide attempts. Individuals with gambling problems had significantly increased odds of reporting lifetime suicidal ideation (OR = 2.17, 95% CI [1.90, 2.48]) and lifetime suicide attempts (OR = 2.81, 95% CI [2.23, 3.54]) compared to individuals without gambling problems. Two studies reported that individuals with pathological gambling had an increased risk of dying by suicide. Metaregression analyses suggested that the risk of study bias was positively related to the prevalence rates of suicidal ideation. Sex proportions were found to moderate the odds of suicidal ideation, but the direction of the effect was inconsistent. For suicide attempts, psychiatric comorbidity and sample size were positively and inversely, respectively, associated with prevalence rates. The synthesis indicates that suicidality is common among individuals with gambling problems and hence should be addressed by help agencies. Inferences on causality and directionality are hampered by a lack of longitudinal studies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

An empirical study on attitudes toward gambling when sportswashing is involved.

Sportswashing is defined as individuals, groups, companies, or countries/regimes' involvement in sports to improve their own reputation and/or to distract from or normalize wrongdoing. This cross-sectional survey is the first empirical study on sportswashing in relation to gambling. The sample consisted of United Kingdom residents who reported past 12-month gambling (N = 786, 50% women, mean age = 45.6, SD = 15.2). We investigated how many were familiar with sportswashing and their attitudes toward gambling when sportswashing is involved. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were conducted on the attitudes scale that was developed for the current study. Multiple regressions were used to examine if individual differences in terms of age, gender, personality, moral foundations, political trust and efficacy, and/or gambling risk were associated with such attitudes. Finally, we examined the percentage of people who avoid gambling on teams/events when sportswashing is involved, including group differences in avoidance and motivations for avoidance according to gambling risk. The results showed that only 32% had heard about sportswashing prior to the survey. CFA indicated that attitudes toward sportswashing and gambling as conceptualized in the scale used in the current study can broadly be categorized into two dimensions: How individuals relate to sportswashing when gambling ("self-factor") and how individuals think gambling companies and regulators should regulate sportswashing and gambling [an "external-factor," p < 0.001, CFI = 0.0.996, RMSEA = 0.090, 90% CI (0.077, 0.104)]. Multiple regressions indicated that measures of individual differences explained a significant amount of variance in self-oriented (F (17, 765) = 7.19, p < 0.001, adjusted R2 = 0.12) and external-oriented (F (17, 765) = 8.40, p < 0.001. adjusted R2 = 0.14) attitude toward gambling and sportswashing. Avoidance of betting when sportswashing is involved was reported by 43%. The proportion was lower among those with moderate gambling risk/problem gambling (35%) compared to those with no/low gambling risk (45%). It is concluded that further scale development could help elucidate individual differences in attitudes toward sportswashing and gambling. Sportswashing remains an important social issue, and the present study indicates that this has high relevance for the gambling field.