Theory-based Intervention for Promoting Responsible Gambling Among College Students

Testing the Efficacy of ResponsiblePlay©: MTM-Based Intervention for Responsible Gambling for College Students

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if the RESPONSIBLEPLAY© intervention helps promote responsible gambling behaviors in University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) students aged 21 and older who have a Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) score of 3 or higher. The main questions it aims to answer are:

Does the intervention reduce harmful gambling behaviors? Does the intervention increase responsible gambling practices? Researchers will compare participants receiving the RESPONSIBLEPLAY© intervention with those receiving a knowledge-based intervention to see if the RESPONSIBLEPLAY© intervention is more effective.

Participants will:

Attend three face-to-face sessions on responsible gambling over three weeks. Complete surveys before, after, and eight weeks after the intervention to track their progress.

This study investigates the efficacy of the RESPONSIBLEPLAY© intervention, designed to promote responsible gambling behaviors among college students at UNLV. College students are a vulnerable group for developing gambling-related problems, with a significantly higher prevalence of problem and pathological gambling compared to the general population. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) will compare the RESPONSIBLEPLAY© intervention, which is based on the Multi-theory Model (MTM) of health behavior change, to a traditional knowledge-based intervention.

The RESPONSIBLEPLAY© intervention addresses both the initiation and sustenance of behavior change, incorporating elements such as participatory dialogue, behavioral confidence, and changes in the social and physical environments. The intervention aims to equip participants with practical strategies to manage and limit gambling behaviors.

The study will take place over a three-week period, with face-to-face sessions designed to engage participants in discussions and self-guided activities that promote responsible gambling. Follow-up assessments will be conducted at eight weeks post-intervention to evaluate the long-term impact of the intervention. A two-factor repeated measures analysis will be used to assess changes in gambling behaviors and related psychological constructs over time.

The findings from this study may provide critical evidence to support the use of theory-based interventions to reduce gambling-related harms in a college student population, which can inform future public health strategies.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Must be at least 21 years old.
• Must be a enrolled UNLV student.
• Must engage in gambling activities.
• Must have a score of 3 or higher on the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), indicating at-risk or problem gambling behavior.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Participants currently receiving treatment for gambling disorders.
• Individuals with cognitive impairments that would affect their ability to provide consent or participate in the intervention.
• Individuals who are not fluent in English (since the intervention materials and assessments will be conducted in English).