Psychometric validation and measurement invariance of the Brief Situational Confidence Questionnaire for Gambling (BSCQ-G) in a sample of adult gamblers from the general population.

Abstract

Objective: Despite the development of multiple gambling-related self-efficacy measures, their validation has often been conducted in convenience or clinical samples, limiting their generalizability to the broader gambling population. This gap is particularly relevant given that most individuals with gambling problems do not seek treatment, highlighting the need for tools that can be applied in both clinical and nonclinical settings. This study aimed to validate the Brief Situational Confidence Questionnaire for Gambling (BSCQ-G), a 10-item adaptation of the Brief Situational Confidence Questionnaire, for assessing gambling-related self-efficacy.

Method: Data were drawn from a nationwide online survey of 1,429 Spanish adults (aged 18-64 years). Analyses were conducted on a subsample of 921 individuals who reported past-year gambling.

Results: The BSCQ-G demonstrated excellent reliability (α and ω = 0.98), and a unidimensional structure was confirmed via exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Measurement invariance was confirmed across age, sex, and gambling modality, indicating its applicability across diverse populations of gamblers. Importantly, its invariance across problem gambling severity levels measured by the Problem Gambling Severity Index (nonproblem: Problem Gambling Severity Index scores of 0-4 vs. problem gambling: Problem Gambling Severity Index scores of 5-27) reinforces its potential application in identifying and monitoring self-efficacy in individuals at varying levels of gambling risk. BSCQ-G scores ≥ 80% exhibited a sensitivity of 93.5% and specificity of 51.6% for identifying individuals with nonproblem gambling. Concurrent validity was supported through negative correlations with gambling frequency, expenditure, and problem gambling severity.

Conclusions: The BSCQ-G is a brief, psychometrically robust tool for assessing self-efficacy in high-risk situations, offering utility in both research and clinical contexts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).