Religiosity, Parenting Styles and Emotional Intelligence as Predictors of Gambling Behaviour Among Undergraduates.

Abstract

Gambling behaviour represents a significant public health issue and has been a global and scholarly
concern for several decades now. However, there are limited studies examining the risks and
protective factors of this problematic behaviour, particularly among undergraduates where this is a
great burden. This study adopted cross-sectional design to investigate the roles of religiosity,
parenting style and emotional intelligence in gambling behaviour among undergraduates. Using
convenient sampling method, 300 students (144 males and 156 females) from the University of
Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) participated in this study. Their age ranges from 18-40 years, with a mean
age of 22.75 (SD=2.95) years. Religious Orientation Test (ROT), Parenting Style Inventory-II (PSIII), Brief Emotional Intelligence Scale (BEIS) and Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) were
used to measure the study's variables. Hypotheses were tested with Hierarchical multiple regression.
Results showed that religiosity negatively predicted gambling behaviour. Authoritative and
permissive parenting style did not significantly predict gambling behaviour. However, authoritarian
parenting style negatively predicted gambling behaviour. Emotional intelligence positively
predicted gambling behaviour. These findings underscore the complex interplay of individual,
familial, and psychological factors in shaping gambling behaviour among university
undergraduates and suggest avenues for targeted interventions and prevention strategies.