The Impact of Self-Efficacy on Gambling Performance

There is limited research demonstrating the role of self-efficacy as a protective factor against problem gambling, so this study sought to address this gap.

Based on a top-down approach, two sets of items were developed. The first consisted of items designed to assess whether gamblers could successfully avoid gambling situations that (according to literature review) may increase their risk for excessive gambling behavior. These items proved highly discriminant and supported by CFA and partial correlation analyses.

Sense of Control

A sense of control refers to an individual’s belief that they have influence over their gambling outcomes. This variable can be assessed through answering a series of questions designed to assess your ability to influence events, decisions, and outcomes. There are two distinct forms of control – malleable (adaptive) and enduring. Malleable control refers to how flexible one’s abilities are at changing outcomes of events while enduring control refers to whether one believes they can maintain this ability over time.

Through four factor analyses on various gambler samples, this scale was found to possess a clear two-dimensional structure with high internal coherence and discriminant validity was demonstrated via partial correlations with various predictors and logistic regressions using problem gambling as the dependent variable; results of such regressions supported hypotheses that gamblers with lower hedonic motivation and gambling-self efficacy will experience issues in their gambling behavior.

Illusion of Control

False sense of control can lead to reckless decisions that end in financial disaster and irreparable damage to relationships and mental health. People may develop this sense of powerlessness while gambling, particularly if they win frequently; this deception can be particularly harmful to those with gambling addiction as it gives them false hope they can control outcomes that are actually determined by chance alone.

To assess whether illusion of control contributes to gambling problems, we administered a standard task measuring perception of contingency using a fictional medical scenario. Our expectation was that gamblers would demonstrate greater illusion of control than non-gamblers; however, the results of our questionnaire analysis found no correlation between illusion of control and problem gambling severity among skill and chance gamblers, while interview analysis identified three chance and four skill gamblers as having levels of control that should predict non-problem gambling behaviour.

Avoidance

Gambling is an addictive form of avoidance coping that allows people to escape real world problems through engaging in risky activities such as gambling. Unfortunately, this coping style often leads to financial strain, relationship conflicts and other negative aspects that threaten quality of life. Gambling gives gamblers a false sense of control and sense of accomplishment; but these feelings often dissipate quickly into debt or neglect of other aspects of life.

Study 1 began the validation of its criteria by exploring the factorial structure of MGSES using factor analysis. Two distinct dimensions, self-regulatory (REG_SE) and avoidant (AV_SE), were discovered. Their discriminant validity was supported by poor fitting alternative models assuming only one factor, correlation and regression analyses as well as strong evidence supporting them both as indicators.

Regression analysis demonstrated that REG_SE was the strongest predictor of responsible gambling behaviors while AV_SE was only marginally associated with problem gambling indicators. This suggests that both dimensions are useful measures of self-efficacy; perhaps measuring both dimensions would provide more complete insight.

Regulation

Measuring self-efficacy in controlling addictive behaviors is an integral element of behavior change interventions and monitoring for relapse risk management, but little is known about its protective impact in relation to problem gambling.

Studies conducted to date in the literature have examined self-efficacy as part of treatment context, predominantly focused on its ability to avoid gambling situations. This research seeks to fill this void by exploring psychometric properties of a new gambling self-efficacy scale. This scale was developed based on responsible gambling strategies and emphasizes the need to regulate one’s gambling activities. Correlations and logistic regressions provided evidence of its criterion validity. REG_SE was found to be an even stronger explanatory variable than AV_SE in explaining problematic gambling behavior, and may provide insight for designing future regulatory measures aimed at restricting gambling participation which has been demonstrated to have an effect on gambling behaviour.