PGA-ALERT: Problem Gambling Assessment: Advancing knowLedge on psychological protEctive factoRs for young adult menTal health
(Adicția față de jocurile de noroc în rândul tinerilor: Instrumente de evaluare și identificarea factorilor cu rol protectiv asupra sănătății mentale)
Project ID: PN-IV-PCB-RO-MD-2024-0570
Acronym: PGA-ALERT
Funding authority: Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding (UEFISCDI)
Project budget: 598, 000 RON (119, 600 Euro)
Project timespan: 2025 - 2027
Research Team:
- Andrei Holman - Project leader
- Simona Popușoi - Postdoctoral researcher
- Alexandru Popescu – Doctoral researcher
- Andreea Huțul– Doctoral researcher
- Tudor Huțul– Doctoral researcher
Abstract:
Gambling can lead to several significant health risks, including problem gambling and gambling disorder. PGA-ALERT proposes two studies addressing the current need to (i) develop valid and accurate instruments to assess problem gambling (and the subsequent risk of gambling disorder in relation to the current DSM criteria) in young adults from all populations, (ii) to scrutinize the effects of mental health issues on the likelihood of problem gambling, and (iii) to identify potential avenues for interventions for assisting people affected by these risks. The first study will evaluate the psychometric qualities, including diagnostic accuracy, of six problem gambling scales in samples of gamblers from both countries (Romania and Republic of Moldavia). The second study will longitudinally examine the relationships between anxious and depressive symptomatology and problematic gambling, as well as several psychological dimensions that are plausible to represent key factors of the effects of depression on gambling involvement. This would also allow for the investigation of potential psychological protective factors against gambling risks, i.e., factors that may buffer against the development of problem gambling issues, such as cognitive control, cognitive flexibility, adaptive emotion regulation strategies and adaptive metacognitions about gambling, which may offer valuable insights and information for future treatment approaches on gamblers.
Cognitive and socio-economic impact
The results of the project studies will significantly add to the extant knowledge on and measurement tools of problem gambling by validating accurate instruments in the Romanian and Republic of Moldova young adult populations assessing this issue and by providing evidence on the relationships between problematic gambling, anxious and depressive symptomatology and potentially protective psychological factors. This body of knowledge has an important potential social impact by supporting future interventions addressing problematic gambling and preventing its negative effects highlighted by past research, such as mental and physical health problems, financial and relational issues, or impaired work or academic performance.
Expected deliverables:
- D1 – Instruments translated and adapted for Study 1 (M3)
- D2 – Joint database for Study 1 (M8)
- D3 – Scientific paper (M10)
- D4 – Instruments translated and adapted for Study 2 (M11)
- D5 – Joint database for Study 2 (M19)
- D6 – Scientific paper (M24)