Information sheet
on youth gambling
School survey procedures
and protocols
School newsletter and announcement
Youth gambling survey [Not available]
Alternative activity – Level I
Alternative activity – Level II
Dear <insert
principal's name>:
We have enclosed
some materials for your consideration as we complete the details of conducting
the youth gambling survey at your school. We will be in touch shortly to set
up some dates for the survey, and a meeting to discuss your requests regarding
the survey and whether or not you would like us to speak to your staff about
this questionnaire.
The survey should
take about 20 minutes and require no more than 30 minutes including instructions
and handing out and collecting materials. For those students who are not taking
the survey, we have prepared an alternative activity that has various levels
of difficulty. These activities can be used for follow up discussions between
students who have done the survey and those who have only read information on
youth gambling.
<insert the
name of the superintendent of the school board> has been kept informed of
the progress and the processes of this research project. The consent process
will be handled by the research project office. In this package, we have included
a sample announcement, which can be used to obtain signatures from parents or
guardians who can then return them in the pre-addressed, pre-stamped envelopes
to our office.
We have also included
an information sheet on youth gambling for school counsellors and teachers,
which includes statistics on the high prevalence rates of youth gambling in
Canada.
We are currently
in touch with someone who is developing curriculum for secondary schools that
addresses gambling issues. We hope to provide you with this curriculum
for pilot testing in the <insert time of year>. The units are 30 minutes
long and might fit into your TAG schedule and program.
We will be in touch
with you, but please do not hesitate to contact us at the telephone numbers
provided below. Thank you very much for assisting us with this important research.
Sincerely,
<insert contact telephone numbers>
Why are you
researching youth gambling?
The above points clearly illustrate that
the community should be concerned with this issue and need to work toward preventing
youth problem gambling.
What is the purpose of this survey?
Previous research
in Canada has shown that 7% to 28% of teens in Canada have serious gambling-related
problems. Since we already know that youth gambling is a problem, we want to
move beyond this and find out how to prevent youth gambling, help youth at risk
and assist youth problem gamblers so they can reduce or quit their gambling.
Our survey specifically looks at types of teen gambling behaviours and how teens
go from experimental gambling to problematic gambling. The results from this
survey will be used to help us develop prevention, treatment and harm reduction
interventions that will meet the needs and preferences of youth in the Niagara
region.
What is the definition of gambling?
Gambling is "the
act of risking money or something else of value on an activity with an uncertain
outcome." Playing cards or video games for money, buying raffle tickets,
betting on who is going to win the next game of pool or wagering your favourite
CD on the outcome of a sports event — it's all gambling.
What is the legal age to gamble?
Why do youth gamble?
What age do youth start gambling at?
Problem gamblers
report starting gambling at a serious level at approximately age 10.
What types of gambling do youth engage in?
Why is youth gambling increasing?
How do you know
if you have a gambling problem?
If you say, "yes"
to 4 or more of these items you may have a gambling problem.
How do you know if a teenager has a gambling problem?
What is low-risk or responsible gambling?
If someone has a gambling problem where can he or she go
for help?
N.A.D.A.S. Gambling
Treatment
905-684-1183
Problem Gambling
Help Line (24-hour telephone counselling)
905-684-1859
Problem Gambling
Help Line (toll free)
1-888-230-3505
Other youth help
centres that address a wide range of youth issues:
Distress Centre
Niagara
905-688-3711
Kids Help Phone
1-800-668-6868
Niagara Centre
for Youth Care
1-800-263-4944
Niagara Alcohol
and Drug Assessment Service (N.A.D.A.S.)
905-684-1183
Family and Children's
Services
905-937-7731
To indicate students'
eligibility, the researchers (not the school) will track which students obtain
parental consent by using class lists.
Each research assistant
will assemble a package containing a class list, which indicates eligible students;
general information; consent forms and questionnaires for each of the eligible
students; alternative tasks for the remaining students, and instructions to
the teacher.
Research assistants
will be given a script to read to the classes, which will explain the nature
of the study to the students.
The research assistants
will also provide students with the following information prior to the commencement
of the survey:
(For newsletter)
Attention Parents/Guardians:
<insert name
of university> and <insert name of alcohol and drug assessment service>
are trying to find out more about youth who gamble in the <insert region>.
With parental permission, high school students in the <insert region>
will have the opportunity to complete a survey on youth gambling.
Please expect to receive a letter in the
mail in <insert month and year>. The letter will explain this project
in more detail. There will also be a permission form that parents/guardians
need to sign. We request that you return the permission form in the pre-addressed,
pre-stamped envelope which is enclosed. Please indicate if you want your child(ren)
to participate in this survey. If you have any questions about this project
please contact <insert name of contact person>.
(For school announcement)
All students at
<insert name of high school> have been invited to take part in a <insert
name of university research project> on teen gambling. Information and a
permission form have been mailed to your home. Please remind your parents/guardians
to sign the permission form and mail it back to <insert name of university>.
<insert name of university> thanks you for your participation in this
important research.
Dear Parent/Guardian:
All students at
<insert name of high school> are invited to take part in a very brief
study about youth gambling. The goals of the study are to (1) find out more
about teenagers' gambling behaviours, and (2) find out why some adolescents
progress from experimental gambling to problem gambling. The study will consist
of an anonymous and short paper-and-pencil survey.
The survey will ask your children
about their gambling behaviours, school work, after-school activities, substance
use and risk-taking behaviours. There are no questions about religion, sexuality
or violence. The survey will be carried out during school time, in the classroom,
and will take about 20 minutes to complete. The survey is totally anonymous;
there are no identifying marks or codes, and there is no place for children
to put their names.
When the results
of the study are reported, all answers will be grouped together, so no one can
trace a specific answer back to one student. Your child's involvement in this
study is completely voluntary, meaning that she or he can skip questions or
stop doing the survey at any time. If
your child doesn't complete the survey, this will not affect your child's
school grades in any way.
Next <insert time of year> the results
of this study will be presented to teachers and students, posted at the main
office of the school and on our Web site. Results will also be presented in
professional and scholarly forums. If you so request, a summary of the study
results can be mailed directly to you.
To indicate whether
your child can or cannot take part in the study, please complete the enclosed
permission slip and return it to us in the pre-addressed, pre-stamped envelope.
Or if you would like to talk to someone about the study, please contact <insert
contact name> or the <insert name of university office of research services>.
This study has been approved by the <insert name of regional board of education>,
the school's principal and <insert name of university ethics review committee>.
Thank you for considering our study.
If you wish to
see a copy of the survey go to <insert Web address>. If you have questions
about your child(ren)'s participation in the study, contact <insert contact
name> or the office of research services at <insert name of university>.
Results of this study will be published and presented through professional and
scholarly forums. Results will also be posted on our Web site. However, if you
would like to receive a written summary of the results, please check here
. (The results will be available in the <insert time of
year> ). This study has been approved by the <insert name of school board>
and <insert name of university ethics review committee and file number>.
Your parents/guardians
gave you permission to take part in a study about gambling. The goals of this
study are to find out (1) more about teenage gambling, and (2) why some teenagers
gamble a little and others gamble a lot.
You should know
that the survey is totally anonymous. This means no one — not your parents,
your teachers, not even your friends — will know what you wrote on the survey.
And when the results of the study are reported, everyone's answers will be
grouped
together so no one can trace your answers back to you. You should also know
that your involvement in this study is completely voluntary, which means
you
can skip questions or stop doing the survey at any time.
If you agree to
be in this study, you will be given a paper-and-pencil survey. The survey will
ask questions about your gambling behaviours, school work, after-school activities,
substance use and risk-taking behaviours. It will take you about 20 minutes
to complete.
If you have any
questions or concerns about the study, you may contact <insert contact name>
.
Thank you for your
help!
This study has
been approved by your school and by the <insert name of university ethics
review committee and file number>.
(A copy of the survey was enclosed in the package for principals to review.)
Please read the
following article and answer the questions below:
Most people think
that only adults have gambling problems. This is not true. Youth in Canada and
the United States have been surveyed, and these surveys show that between 4%
to 8% of teenagers (mostly males) have serious gambling problems, and another
10% to 14% of teenagers are at risk of developing a serious gambling problem.
These numbers are alarming.
Teenagers who have
gambling problems usually start gambling at age 10 or 11. Teens participate
in many types of gambling, such as playing cards or bingo for money, games of
skill, scratch and pull-tab cards, sports betting and sometimes going to the
casino. Lottery tickets are teenagers' favourite way to gamble. Did you know
that it is illegal to purchase lottery tickets and scratch tickets if you are
not 18?
Most parents and
teens think that gambling is not dangerous. Again, not true Ñ gambling can be
dangerous. Teens that have gambling problems constantly think about gambling,
spend more money than they want to, gamble to escape their troubles, miss school,
steal to pay back their debts, lose friends and argue with parents or family
members because of their gambling.
Most teens do not
have gambling problems, and most teens report that they gamble just for fun,
but it is important to remember that there are also negative consequences to
gambling. Gambling can become an addiction just like cigarettes, alcohol and
drugs. While teens are usually warned by parents, teachers and the media that
alcohol and drugs are addictive, they are not warned about the negative effects
of gambling. As well, the media and the government make gambling appealing to
teens by naming tickets after children's games (e.g., bingo, Monopoly, Battleship)
and using slogans such as "Everyone's a Winner." It has been reported
that the increase in teen gambling is due to the aggressive marketing of these
lottery tickets and the increase in the availability of gambling opportunities
in Canada and the United States.
We hope more information
will be made available to teens, parents, schools and our communities to let
everyone know that gambling can lead to problems similar to alcohol and drugs.
If people are more educated about the consequences of gambling then maybe they
will be more careful, and there will be fewer gambling problems.
Questions
What is the most
surprising fact in this article?
Why is there an
increase in youth gambling?
How do you feel
about the government aggressively marketing lottery tickets to kids?
What do you think
should be done to ensure that young people do not develop gambling problems?
Why do you think
it's mostly males who become problem gamblers?
What problems do
you think adolescent problem gamblers are likely to experience?
Teen gambling
•
4% to 8% of teens (more guys than girls)
have serious gambling problems.
•
Another 10% to 14% of teens are at risk
of serious gambling problems.
Types of gambling that teens participate
in:
•
card playing for money
•
bingo for money
•
games of skill (such as pool and darts)
for money
•
scratch and pull-tab cards
•
sports betting
•
casino gambling.
Did you know that
it is illegal to buy lottery tickets and scratch tickets if you are not 18?
Teens
that have gambling problems
•
think about gambling all the time
•
spend most of their money on gambling
•
gamble to get away from their problems
•
miss school to gamble
•
steal to pay back money
•
lose friends
•
argue with parents and family because of
their gambling.
Gambling can become an addiction just like cigarettes, alcohol and
drugs.
If more teens know
that gambling can lead to problems then maybe they will be more careful and
there will be fewer gambling problems.
Please answer the following questions:
What type of gambling
do you think kids your age do?
Write down three
bad things that can happen if you gamble a lot.
What can we do
so that teens don't have gambling problems?
In the space below,
draw a poster that will show how to prevent teens from gambling.
Thank you!
We appreciate your
time and co-operation in completing our survey. The answers you have provided
will be grouped with the answers from all other participants. Once compiled,
this information will help us understand how and why teenagers gamble. In fact,
health professionals, counsellors, teachers and others will use this information
to develop better prevention and treatment interventions for young people in
the <insert name of region>.
Sometimes, after
you do a survey like this, you may want to talk to someone about your answers.
If you want to talk about anything that we covered in this study, please see
your guidance counsellor or school nurse. If you don't want to do that, you
can call one of the following places instead.
Kids Help Phone
1-800-668-6868
N.A.D.A.S. Gambling
Treatment
905-684-1183
Problem Gambling
Help Line (toll free)
1-888-230-3505
The final results
of this study will be posted in several areas at your school, or you can find
them on our Web site at <insert Web address>. You can also get information
about the results — or any other part of this study — by contacting the researchers
at <insert phone number> .
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