Gambling: Effects on Native American Moms and Children

University Of Pittsburgh At Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA

Investigators

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This revised exploratory/descriptive study (1R36MH071136-01A1) proposes to utilize both quantitative and qualitative methods to examine the relations between and among women's casino gambling, parenting in the home environment, parenting self-efficacy beliefs, social supports, and child behavior problems in a sample of 150 Native American mothers with a child between 6 and 15 years of age. Prospective respondents will be recruited from the Bad River Casino, administered by the Chippewa Indians in Odanah, Wisconsin. Specific aims are to: 1) determine the extent to which the casino gambling behaviors of Native American mothers are related to behavioral outcomes for their children; 2) explore the conditions under which Native American mothers' parenting practices and access to social support moderate potential negative effects of casino gambling on their children; and 3) explore Native American mothers' perceptions of the effects of casino gambling on the reservation, as well as on their own families. The following hypotheses will be tested: 1) higher scores on measures of gambling prevalence, frequency, and duration among Native American mothers will be associated with more behavior problems in their children; 2) greater access to emotional and instrumental support, higher parenting self-efficacy, and more adequate parenting in the home environment among Native American mothers will be associated with fewer behavior problems in their children; and 3) greater access to social support, higher parenting self-efficacy, and more adequate parenting in the home environment among Native American mothers will moderate the relationship between maternal gambling and child behavior problems; i.e., greater parenting self-efficacy and more adequate parenting in the home environment, respectively, will be associated with fewer behavior problems among the children of problem gamblers. Little is known about the associations between and among mothers' gambling, parenting in the home environment, and child outcomes in Native American families. The present study will begin to fill this gap in current knowledge by presenting data on the extent to which gambling among Native American mothers is associated with their children's behavioral adjustment (i.e., socioemotional development) and the factors that might moderate negative effects. The expectation is that a mixed methods approach will elicit results that are more powerful and maximize our ability to understand the context of Native American mothers' gambling behaviors. Findings from this study will be used to inform policies and programs that target Native American families at greatest risk for poor outcomes and the interventions that might address their needs most effectively. Additionally, the results of a study of this type would be able to contribute towards the creation of a much-needed nationwide database of gambling on reservations.