Self Efficacy, Addictive Behaviour And Personality Traits As Predictors Of Gambling Behaviour Among Young Adult In Ibadan, Oyo State

Abstract

Some studies on gambling behaviour were mostly conducted in western countries and limited to adolescents. It was against this background, that this study investigated the influence of self efficacy, personality factors and addictive behaviour on gambling behaviour among young adults in Ido Local Government area of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Social Learning Theory and Big Five Model of Personality served as the framework for this study. The study adopted a survey design. Two hundred participants were accidentally selected among young adults in Ido Local Government area of Ibadan. The age of participants was 21.4 SD= 5.1 Data was collected using 63- items structured questionnaire with four scales: demographic variables, The Gambling Behaviour Scale (GBS) (α =0.81), General Self Efficacy Scale (α =0.87), Addictive Behaviour Scale (α =0.74), and Personality Scale (α =0.78). Hypotheses were tested using multiple regression, and t-test. Finding shows that there was significant relationship among gambling behaviour and self-efficacy(r = -.300, p < .01), addictive behaviour(r = .244, p < .01), extroversion(r = -.236, p< .01), Agreeableness(r=-.250, p < .01), Conscientiousness(r = -.233, p < .01), Neuroticism(r = -.277, p < .01), and openness to experience(r = -.298, p < .01).  Result indicated that respondents low on self-efficacy (=71.56, S.D= 13.72) significantly reported high scores gambling compared to respondents high on self-efficacy (=61.91, S.D =10.14). Respondents low on self-efficacy significantly reported higher on gambling behaviour (t (4.39) = 146, p<.05) than those high on self-efficacy. Result shows that there is no significant difference between respondents that reported low addictive behaviour (=59.83, S.D= 17.82) and respondents that reported high addictive behaviour (=63.78, S.D =10.62) on gambling behaviour (t (4.39) = 146, p>.05). Result shows that there exists no significant gender difference on gambling behaviour [t (173) =; P>.05]. The study concludes that personality, self-efficacy, addictive behaviour significantly determined gambling behaviour. It is recommended that personality, self-efficacy, addictive behaviour should be considered as predictors of gambling behaviour among young adults.