Investigating the Psychometric Properties of Problem Gambling Severity Index in students

Problem Gambling is defined as one of the disorders associated with drug abuse. Gambling-relatedharm can affect multiple domains of life, including financial and health problems, psychologicaland emotional distress, and impaired social and cultural relationships. The aim of this study wasinvestigating the psychometric properties of Problem Gambling Severity Index in Iranian students.

The method of this study was correlational. The statistical population of this study was all students in theAzarbaijan Shahid Madani University in 2019. The sample size was 211 students (121 girls and 90 boys) that wereselected through cluster sampling method and determined based on the fact that at least 5 people are required for eachitem for factor analysis of the Problem Gambling Severity Index and Addiction Tendency Questionnaire.

In order to determine the psychometric properties of the Problem Gambling Severity Index, a confirmatoryfactor analysis method was used. Indirect path coefficients between the components of gambling behavior (β = 1, p >0.001) and gambling consequences ((β =0.97, P >0.001) with the Gambling Severity Index indicate a significantrelationship between factors and the whole scale. The study of concurrent validity Gambling Severity Index withAddiction Tendency Questionnaire showed there is a positive and significant relationship between these Questionnaires(r=0.57, p <0/001). The reliability of the scale was obtained 0/79 using Cronbach’s alpha.

According to the results, it can be said that Problem Gambling Severity Index is a stable and valid toolfor examining gambling problems and can be used in Iran.