No abstract

Playfulness is normally associated with children and remains poorly documented in adulthood. Studies have confirmed that playfulness is present in adulthood but do not provide any information on its specific nature. An enhanced comprehension of playfulness in adulthood is needed to determine its possible use in occupational therapy intervention with an adult clientele. A qualitative study led to a conceptual definition of playfulness in adulthood. Playfulness can be defined as an internal predisposition characterized by creativity, curiosity, pleasure, sense of humor, and spontaneity. This attitude extends to all life situations and modifies how adults perceive, evaluate, and approach situations. Playfulness enables adults to distance themselves from others, from situations, and from conventions to approach situations with an open mind to find original solutions to problems, to confront difficulties, and to accept failure. Therefore, it may be an important tool in occupational therapy to develop and enhance adults' ability to perform occupations.

This study tested whether problem gambling and substance use in adolescents are related and whether they could have a common link with impulsivity. A community sample of 765 adolescents participated. Gambling and substance use were assessed when adolescents were 17 years old. Impulsivity and impulsivity-related behaviors were assessed when adolescents were 12,13, and 14 years old. Groups of gamblers and groups of substance users were formed. A comorbid group was also formed. Results indicated mat problem gamblers were more at risk of also being problem substance users and vice versa than nonproblem participants. In addition, comorbid participants were more impulsive than problem gamblers only or problem substance users only. These findings are discussed in light of the possibility that problem gambling and substance use develop simultaneously during adolescence and share a common impulse-control deficits origin.Money spent on games of chance and gambling continues to rise. In 1974, $17.4 billion was spent on these activities in the United States. By 1992, the total expenditure reached $329.9 billion-an increase of 1,900% (Christiansen, 1993). According to the South Oaks Gambling Scale (SOGS; Lesieur & Blume, 1987) 2.6% of the adult population of

These findings support the hypothesis that increases in the availability of gambling are related to increases in the number of problem gamblers.