The effects of social isolation and problematic social media use on well-being in a sample of young Italian gamblers.

Introduction: Gambling, especially when problematic, has been observed to have a significant impact on mental health, social relationships, and well-being in general. Social isolation and problematic social media use (PSMU) have also been identified as risk factors affecting psychological well-being, with a potential link to gambling that may intensify the impact on well-being, especially among adolescents. However, the interaction between these factors remains poorly explored, especially in younger populations. This study aims to investigate the effects of social isolation and problematic social media use on psychological well-being in a sample of adolescents, focusing on how these factors interact and influence well-being according to different engagement in gambling. Methods: We analyzed data from the 2021/2022 Italian Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study in Tuscany Region. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1,265 Tuscan adolescents aged 15-17 years, divided into three groups according to gambling behavior: non-gamblers, occasional gamblers and problem gamblers. Participants completed self-report questionnaires to assess well-being, social isolation, and PSMU. Data were analyzed using clustering methods, descriptive statistics, and path analysis to explore the relationships among these variables. Results: The study identified three distinct groups of gamblers: non-gamblers (74.3%), casual gamblers (10.0%) and problem gamblers (15,7%). Contrary to expectations, problem gamblers reported the highest well-being scores, suggesting potential compensatory mechanisms or subjective perceptions masking underlying vulnerabilities. Social isolation had a negative impact on well-being in all groups, with the strongest effects observed in casual gamers. Problematic social media use did not show significant differences between groups, but was associated with lower well-being in all groups. An unexpected positive interaction between social isolation and PSMU was found in problem gamblers, indicating a unique reinforcing relationship in this group. Discussion: The results highlight the complex interaction between gambling behavior, social isolation, and problematic social media use in influencing adolescents' well-being. While social isolation consistently reduced well-being, problematic gamblers showed higher well-being scores, potentially due to developmental factors or maladaptive coping mechanisms. Conclusion: The study emphasizes the need for further research to better understand these relationships, particularly in the context of online gambling and social media use, to provide targeted interventions for at-risk adolescents.