Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42509456›Full record

ArticleJournal of gambling studies2026

Gambling Problems in a Sample of UK University Students: Associations with Mental Health, Other Addictive Behaviours, and Transdiagnostic Factors.

Lucy Dorey, Jeremy E Solly, Konstantinos Ioannidis, Kevin A Matlock, Liz Forty, Lucy J Robinson, Katheryn F Morse, Tanya Manchanda, Edward Watkins, Samuel R Chamberlain

Abstract read
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Article in Journal of gambling studies, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Lucy DoreyDepartment of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK. lad1f19@soton.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5580-6592
Jeremy E SollyDepartment of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Konstantinos IoannidisDepartment of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Kevin A MatlockDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Liz FortySchool of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
Lucy J RobinsonSchool of Psychology, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK.
Katheryn F MorseSchool of Psychology, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK.
Tanya ManchandaDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Edward WatkinsCentre for Mood Disorders Research, University of Exeter UK, Exeter, UK.
Samuel R ChamberlainDepartment of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.

Funding

UK Research and Innovation MR/W002442/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

University students may be particularly vulnerable to experiencing gambling-related problems. This study investigated the rate of screening positive for gambling problems in a UK university and associated factors, including demographic, mental health, and trans-diagnostic variables. We analysed cross-sectional data from the Nurture-U student mental health and wellbeing survey (2022-2024 data; N = 2302). The 3 item NORC DSM-IV Screen (NODS-CLiP) was used to identify positive screen for gambling problems. Variables of interest were anxiety, depression, eating symptoms, self-reported ADHD, problematic use of the internet (PUI), hazardous alcohol use, drug use, compulsivity and suicide attempts. Logistic regression was conducted to examine associations between gambling problems and these measures. Overall, 8.1% of students screened positive for potential gambling problems. When considering associations with comorbid mental disorders and problematic behaviours, positive associations of moderate strength were observed between a positive screen for gambling problems and any drug use (OR 3.00 [95% Confidence Interval 2.09, 4.33]), restrictive eating (OR 2.74 [1.89, 3.99]), PUI (OR 1.04 [1.02, 1.07]) and hazardous drinking (OR 1.5 [1.03, 2.26]), but not for anxiety, depression, binge eating or ADHD. When considering transdiagnostic factors, suicide attempts (OR 2.61 [1.69, 4.04]) and standardised reward drive (OR 1.41 [1.16, 1.72]) were associated with screening positive for gambling problems, while standardised perfectionism had a protective effect (OR 0.59 [0.49, 0.71]). The findings of this study suggest that gambling problems may be common in university students and linked to impairments in reward-driven compulsive behavioural patterns that can extend beyond gambling.

Indexed as

Addictive behavioursBehavioural addictionGambling problemsMental healthStudent wellbeingUniversity students

Identifiers

PMID42509456

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.