About this study
Despite the increased popularity of gambling, surprisingly little is known about the minority of people whose gambling causes problems such as debt, familial breakdown and personal hardship.
Our study aims to fill this gap by:
- placing problem gambling in its social context and
- examining 'gambling careers’ from a person beginning gambling, moving in and out of problematic behaviour, entering treatment, and recovery.
Potential policy impact
Our research will provide a sound basis for policy formulation and service provision.
Methods
This is a longitudinal, qualitative study, based on a cohort of 50 recreational and problem gamblers recruited from Glasgow.
Participants were purposively selected to ensure a diverse sample and were interviewed three times over a period of 20 months.
The data was comprehensively and systematically analysed using Framework.
Timeline
The study commenced in March 2006 and is due for completion in December 2009.