A qualitative examination of factors underlying transitions in problem gambling severity: Findings from the Leisure, Lifestyle, & Lifecycle Project

AbstractBackground: The current study sought to explore the narrative accounts of individuals who underwent changes in their problem gambling severity, and identify subjective factors underlying these transitions. Additionally, respondents’ perceived change in their gambling behavior was compared with a validated measure of problem gambling severity.Methods: Participants were recruited from The Leisure, Lifestyle, & Lifecycle Project (LLLP), a prospective cohort study based in Alberta, Canada. In-depth, semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with a subset of participants identified as showing a significant increase or decrease in problem gambling severity between Wave 4 and 5 of the LLLP (n = 41). Principles of phenomenology and grounded theory were used to thematically code interviews.Results: About half of respondents increased in problem gambling severity between Wave 4 and 5 (n = 22), while 19 respondents decreased. For those who perceived this change (n = 13), the most common factors und...