An Exploration of the Connection between Child Sexual Abuse and Gambling in Aboriginal Communities

Dion, Jacinthe; Collin‐Vézina, Delphine; Sablonnière, Mireille De La; Philippe-Labbé, Marie-Pierre; Giffard, Tania

doi:10.1007/s11469-009-9234-0

Cited by 22 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 61 publications

(75 reference statements)

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“…According to a small, but growing body of evidence, these consequences may include gambling problems (see Dion, Collin-Vézina, De La Sablonière, Philippe-Labbé, & Giffard, 2010 for a literature review). However, few studies have been conducted on the impact of CSA on gambling among Indigenous Peoples.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual abuse, residential schooling and probable pathological gambling among Indigenous Peoples

Dion

Cantinotti

Ross

et al. 2015

Child Abuse & Neglect

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Sexual abuse leads to short-term and long-lasting pervasive outcomes, including addictions. Among Indigenous Peoples, sexual abuse experienced in the context of residential schooling may have led to unresolved grief that is contributing to social problems, such as pathological (disordered) gambling. The aim of this study is to investigate the link between child sexual abuse, residential schooling and probable pathological gambling. The participants were 358 Indigenous persons (54.2% women) aged between 18 and 87 years, from two communities and two semi-urban centers in Quebec (Canada). Probable pathological gambling was evaluated using the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS), and sexual abuse and residential schooling were assessed with dichotomous questions (yes/no). The results indicate an 8.7% past-year prevalence rate of pathological gambling problems among participants, which is high compared with the general Canadian population. Moreover, 35.4% were sexually abused, while 28.1% reported having been schooled in a residential setting. The results of a logistic regression also indicate that experiences of child sexual abuse and residential schooling are associated with probable pathological gambling among Indigenous Peoples. These findings underscore the importance of using an ecological approach when treating gambling, to address childhood traumas alongside current addiction problems.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual abuse, residential schooling and probable pathological gambling among Indigenous Peoples

Dion

Cantinotti

Ross

et al. 2015

Child Abuse & Neglect

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“…Abusive environments appear to be associated with the development of depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts and attempts (Jacobs and Gill 2002;Young 2009, 2010), which have been shown to be linked to problem gambling. A recent study by Dion et al (2010) suggested that a history of child sexual abuse might contribute to the development of later pathological gambling among Aboriginal peoples and a study by Felsher et al (2010) reported similar findings among young non-native Canadians.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 78%

“…Gambling is a traditional activity of Aboriginal societies throughout the Americas (Gabriel 1999;Hill and Clark 2001) with documented use in ceremonial, recreational, political, and diplomatic events as early as 1000 years before Europeans arrived in North America (Belanger 2011;Dion et al 2010). In small isolated communities in the Cree territory, gambling has traditionally brought people together in a social activity that redistributed wealth within a closed system.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There is extensive variation in estimates of problem gambling among Aboriginals; odds ratios indicate that problem gambling ranges from 2.2 to 15.7 times higher than the non-Aboriginal population (Wardman et al 2001). Dion et al (2010) suggested that prior studies on Aboriginal gambling cannot be generalized to the entire population, and that exceptionally high prevalence rates may only reflect local conditions in some specific communities. For example, Aboriginal people living in remote regions of Australia had higher rates of gambling problems than those living in urban regions (Stevens and Young 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Social and Psychological Impacts of Gambling in the Cree Communities of Northern Québec

et al. 2015

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A detailed survey of gambling, addiction and mental health was conducted with randomly selected respondents (n = 506) from four Cree communities of Northern Quebec. The study examined the current patterns of gambling in relation to demographic, social, and psychological factors. Instruments included the Canadian Problem Gambling Index, Addiction Severity Index, Beck Depression Inventory and the computerized Diagnostic Interview Schedule for psychiatric diagnoses. Overall, 69.2 % of the total sample participated in any gambling/gaming activities over the past year; 20.6 % of this group were classified as moderate/high risk gamblers, and 3.2 % were classified in the highest "problem gambling" category. Considering the entire sample, the overall prevalence of problem gambling was 2.2 %. Women were significantly more likely to play bingo (56.6 %) compared to men (35.1 %) and they played more frequently; 20.8 % of women versus 3.8 % of men played once/week or more often. Compared to the no/low risk gamblers, a greater proportion of moderate/high risk gamblers were cigarette smokers (44.8 vs. 56.3 %), they were more likely to meet DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for alcohol dependence (21.2 vs. 46.2 %), and they were more likely to report moderate to severe depressive symptoms in the past month. Risk factors for problem gambling included traumatic life events (physical and emotional abuse), anxiety and depression, as well as drug/alcohol abuse. The high rates of comorbidity between problem gambling, tobacco dependence, substance abuse and other psychological problems demonstrate that gambling among some Cree adults is part of a pattern of high-risk factors for negative long-term health consequences. The results also have implications for treatment, suggesting that interventions for gambling disorders should not focus on gambling alone but rather the constellation of high-risk behaviours that pose a risk to recovery and well-being.

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“…Two articles in this edition provide an illustration of how researchers are surveying the limited literature on problem gambling in Indigenous communities to try to identify the factors that are particularly deserving of further research. Dion et al (2010) provide an example of the difficulties of reviewing the literature linking childhood trauma and problem gambling, predominated by non-Indigenous studies, to explore possible links between sexual abuse and problem gambling amongst Aboriginal peoples in Canada. The second article compares gambling to smoking and alcohol, in terms of the negative consequences for the individual and for the environment (Dyall 2010).…”

Section: Identification Of Risk and Protective Factorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Commentary: Indigenous Health Special Issue

Blackstock

2010

Int J Ment Health Addiction

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This commentary highlights indigenous public health research from a special issue of the International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction dealing with child maltreatment, mental health, substance abuse and gambling. We focus on the emerging and growing research movement in Indigenous research through three important themes: 1) worldview and ethics; 2) culturally based research methods; and 3) the need to research both the sources and symptoms of disadvantage. The articles in this issue are then framed within a public health approach (surveillance, identification of risk and protective factors, intervention-evaluation and implementation).

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An Exploration of the Connection between Child Sexual Abuse and Gambling in Aboriginal Communities

Cited by 22 publications

References 61 publications

Sexual abuse, residential schooling and probable pathological gambling among Indigenous Peoples

Sexual abuse, residential schooling and probable pathological gambling among Indigenous Peoples

The Social and Psychological Impacts of Gambling in the Cree Communities of Northern Québec

Commentary: Indigenous Health Special Issue

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