Sixth-Grade Gamblers Were Hyperactive at Young Age, Betting Sports Study Finds

Sixth-Grade Gamblers Were Hyperactive at Young Age, Betting Sports Study Finds

By Shannon Pettypiece

Children who gambled at age 11 were more likely to have been hyperactive and impulsive 5-year-olds, suggesting symptoms of risky behavior can be found early in life, researchers said.
In a study of 163 Canadian students, 14 percent of sixth graders reported playing cards for money, 13 percent played video games for money, 8 percent placed bets at sports venues or on games, such as pool or bowling, and 4 percent bought lottery tickets. Previous interviews of the children’s kindergarten teachers found the kids ranked most impulsive when they started school were more likely gamblers six years later, according to the study published today in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.
The findings could alert parents to address hyperactivity and attention problems at a young age, said Linda Pagani, an author of the study and professor at the University of Montreal.
“These behaviors are already a risk factor for a lot of long-term consequences, such as substance abuse, school performance and unemployment,” said Pagani in a telephone interview. “Our research findings now add gambling behavior to that list of consequences.”
The study started by interviewing kindergarten teachers, who were asked to rank the behavior of their students. Six years later, the researchers asked those students how often they played cards for money, bingo, bought lottery tickets, played computer games for money or made bets with friends at sports venues.
Divorce Effect
After analyzing the results, the researchers found that for every 1-unit increase in reported kindergarten impulsivity, children showed a 25 percent increase in later self-reported involvement in gambling. The findings excluded those whose parents had divorced, because that can also be a risk factor for such behavior. The researchers also factored in parents’ gambling behavior to rule that out as an influence.
Previous research has shown that young people who compulsively gamble have an increased risk of substance abuse, depression and suicides, the study said.
Pagani suggested more resources be spent on treating hyperactivity in preschool and elementary school. The study was funded by Canada’s Social Science and Humanities Research Council Standard Research Grants Program.

Sixth-Grade Gamblers Were Hyperactive at Young Age, Betting Sports Study Finds