An extended model of gambling motives: The first results with the long and short versions of the gambling motives questionnaire-revised

Abstract

Background

Motives underlying addictions have been widely studied, using validated tools such as the Gambling Motives Questionnaire (GMQ) (Stewart and Zack, 2008). Nevertheless, subsequent studies have suggested the need to extend this model. The present paper aimed to identify potential additional factors, such as escapism, omnipotence, pleasure and financial motives, in addition to the social, enhancement and coping aspects already included.

Methods

A total of 40 motivational items (adding 25 additional items to the original GMQ items) were analysed within two datasets. Sample 1 was a player panel from a gambling service provider (N = 1829; mean age: 42.4 [SD = 13.3]; Females: 30 % [n = 548]), while Sample 2 consisted of a nationally representative sample of the Hungarian population (N = 437; mean age: 42.9 [SD = 13.55]; Females: 49.2 % [N = 215]).

Results

Exploratory Factor Analysis on Sample 1 identified four factors (including a total of 27 items): coping/escapism, social motives, enhancement/pleasure, and financial motives. The four-factor structure was confirmed on Sample 2 with confirmatory factor analysis showing adequate model fit (CFI = 0.987; TLI = 0.986; RMSEA[CI] = 0.047 [0.041–0.052]); however, high inter-factor correlations were evident in the general population sample. A shorter, 14-item version of the scale was also suggested.

Conclusions

Although the newly identified motives overlap with the original ones, the content of the factors enables the inclusion of certain aspects, like escapism within the coping factor, that proved to be the most important in relation to other potentially addictive behaviours. This suggests that examining the role of motives in gambling may be crucial in differentiating between problem gambling and recreational gambling.