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Problem Gambling Family Impacts: Development of the Problem Gambling Family Impact Scale

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Abstract

Although family members of problem gamblers frequently present to treatment services, problem gambling family impacts are under-researched. The most commonly endorsed items on a new measure of gambling-related family impacts [Problem Gambling Family Impact Measure (PG-FIM: Problem Gambler version)] by 212 treatment-seeking problem gamblers included trust (62.5 %), anger (61.8 %), depression or sadness (58.7 %), anxiety (57.7 %), distress due to gambling-related absences (56.1 %), reduced quality time (52.4 %), and communication breakdowns (52.4 %). The PG-FIM (Problem Gambler version) was comprised of three factors: (1) financial impacts, (2) increased responsibility impacts, and (3) psychosocial impacts with good psychometric properties. Younger, more impulsive, non-electronic gaming machine (EGM) gamblers who had more severe gambling problems reported more financial impacts; non-EGM gamblers with poorer general health reported more increased responsibility impacts; and more impulsive non-EGM gamblers with more psychological distress and higher gambling severity reported more psychosocial impacts. The findings have implications for the development of interventions for the family members of problem gamblers.

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Acknowledgments

This manuscript presents secondary analysis of data from research on problem gambling and family violence funded by the Australian Research Council (Linkage Grant LP 0989331) with the Office for Problem Gambling, South Australia and Drummond Street Services, Victoria as industry partners; and the Problem Gambling Research and Treatment Centre at the University of Melbourne. The research team would like to acknowledge the effort of the participating agencies in Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania, and the clients who participated in the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, Deakin University, Melbourne Burwood Campus, Building BC, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia

    N. A. Dowling & A. Suomi

  2. Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    N. A. Dowling & A. C. Jackson

  3. School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia

    N. A. Dowling

  4. Centre for Gambling Research, School of Sociology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia

    N. A. Dowling & A. Suomi

  5. Student Learning Centre, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, Australia

    T. Lavis

  6. School of Medicine, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, Australia

    T. Lavis

Authors
  1. N. A. Dowling
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  2. A. Suomi
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  3. A. C. Jackson
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  4. T. Lavis
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to N. A. Dowling.

Appendix: The Problem Gambling Family Impact Measures

Appendix: The Problem Gambling Family Impact Measures

Problem Gambler Version

Instruction

In the past 3 months, how often have family members experienced any of the following problems as a result of your gambling?

  1. 1.

    Financial hardship

  2. 2.

    Reduced income for household running costs (e.g., food, rent, bills)

  3. 3.

    A lack of money for family projects (e.g., major purchases, holidays)

  4. 4.

    Taking over decision making in the home

  5. 5.

    Taking over financial responsibility in the home

  6. 6.

    Distress or upset due to my continued gambling-related absences

  7. 7.

    A breakdown in communication with me

  8. 8.

    Less quality time with me

  9. 9.

    Feelings of depression or sadness

  10. 10.

    Feelings of anxiety

  11. 11.

    Feelings of anger towards me

  12. 12.

    An inability to trust me

  13. 13.

    Increased arguments over my gambling

  14. 14.

    Family violence or conflict

Family Member Version

Instruction

In the past 3 months, how often have you and family members experienced any of the following problems as a result of your family member(s) gambling?

  1. 1.

    Financial hardship

  2. 2.

    Reduced income for household running costs (e.g., food, rent, bills)

  3. 3.

    A lack of money for family projects (e.g., major purchases, holidays)

  4. 4.

    Taking over decision making in the home

  5. 5.

    Taking over financial responsibility in the home

  6. 6.

    Distress or upset due to their continued gambling-related absences

  7. 7.

    A breakdown in communication with them

  8. 8.

    Less quality time with them

  9. 9.

    Feelings of depression or sadness

  10. 10.

    Feelings of anxiety

  11. 11.

    Feelings of anger towards them

  12. 12.

    An inability to trust them

  13. 13.

    Increased arguments over their gambling

  14. 14.

    Family violence or conflict

Response Options

(0) Never, (1) Rarely, (2) Sometimes, (3) Often

Subscales

Financial impacts (Items 1, 2, 3); increased responsibility impacts (Items 4, 5, 10); Psychosocial impacts (Items 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14).

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Dowling, N.A., Suomi, A., Jackson, A.C. et al. Problem Gambling Family Impacts: Development of the Problem Gambling Family Impact Scale. J Gambl Stud 32, 935–955 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-015-9582-6

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