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

Sixth-Grade Gamblers Were Hyperactive at Young Age, Study Finds
2009-03-02 21:00:00.3 GMT

By Shannon Pettypiece
March 2 (Bloomberg) -- 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.