Theses and Dissertations
This collection includes both ASU Theses and Dissertations, submitted by graduate students, and the Barrett, Honors College theses submitted by undergraduate students.
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- All Subjects: Sensation Seeking
Description
Before the introduction of mobile/online forms of gambling, “brick and mortar” gambling was the typical form of gambling. Now, the use of mobile phones allows for greater accessibility and convenience to gambling. This modern method of gambling has attracted newer younger audiences such as college students which poses an increasing concern about problem gambling among younger individuals. Since alcohol use problems tend to co-occur with problem gambling, it is important to consider alcohol use as a predictor of problem gambling. Other factors that could potentially influence the relation between alcohol use problems and problem gambling are financial stress (as an indicator of socioeconomic status) and sensation seeking; however, the potential interactive effects of these variables with problem alcohol use in predicting problems remain unclear. The main goals of the current study were to examine the unique and interactive influences of alcohol use problems, sensation seeking, and financial stress in relation to problem gambling. The sample for the current study was taken from the Psychology participant pool enrolled at Arizona State University and met the minimum age requirement of 18 (N = 793, 64.1% Male). All analyses were conducted using R Studio (R Core Team, 2023). I ran a a series of logistic regression models for my covariates only, main effects (alcohol use problems and financial stress or alcohol use and sensation seeking) models while controlling for covariates, and interaction models (alcohol use problems multiplied by financial stress and alcohol use problems multiplied by sensation seeking). Results showed that alcohol use problems and sensation seeking were not significant predictors of problem gambling. However, financial stress (SES), sex (male), and age proved to be significant predictors of problem gambling. There were no interactions found between alcohol use problems and socioeconomic status or sensation seeking on problem gambling outcomes. Although some results from the current study are inconsistent with existing literature, the significant findings provide insight into potential future directions and treatment programs for problem gambling among college students. Further studies are needed to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the complex interactions between alcohol use problems, socioeconomic status, and sensation seeking in relation to problem gambling.
ContributorsIn, Noah (Author) / Cruz, Rick (Thesis director) / Corbin, William (Committee member) / Meier, Madeline (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor)
Created2023-12
Description
The present study tested the respective mediating effects of sensation seeking and initial level of response (LR) to negative, sedative alcohol effects on the relation between the density of familial history of alcoholism and adolescent alcohol use. Additionally, the present study tested the direct effect of LR to negative, sedative alcohol effects on adolescent drinking over and above the effects of sensation seeking; and also tested the moderating effect of sensation seeking on the relation between level of response negative, sedative alcohol effects and adolescent drinking. Specifically, OLS regression models first estimated the effects of sensation seeking, LR to negative, sedative alcohol effects, and their interaction on alcohol outcomes, over and above the influence of covariates. Indirect effects were then tested using the PRODCLIN method through RMediation. Analyses failed to support sensation seeking as a mediator in the relation between familial history of alcoholism and adolescent drinking, and as a moderator of the relation between LR and adolescent drinking. However, analyses did support a robust direct effect of LR to negative, sedative alcohol effects on adolescent alcohol involvement. A significant mediating effect of initial LR to negative, sedative alcohol effects on the relation between familial alcoholism and adolescent drinking was found, however failed to maintain significance in post-hoc analyses attenuating the downward bias of the measure of initial LR. Initial LR to negative, sedative alcohol effects continued to predict adolescent drinking after attenuating measure bias. These findings strengthen research on initial LR to negative, sedative alcohol effects as a risk for greater alcohol involvement in adolescence, and underscore the complexity of studying the familial transmission of alcoholism in adolescent populations
ContributorsPandika, Danielle (Author) / Chassin, Laurie (Thesis advisor) / Corbin, William (Committee member) / Aiken, Leona (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2015