Association between Gambling, Perceived Social Support, and Self-Esteem among Secondary School Students in Orlu

Abstract Background: The changes in accessibility to gambling have led to an increase in gambling among young persons. Aims: The study aims to evaluate the association between gambling, perceived social support, and self-esteem among secondary school students in Orlu, Nigeria. Materials and Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study of 411 secondary school students in Orlu. Sociodemographic data were collected using a structured questionnaire. South Oaks Gambling Screen Revised for Adolescents was used to screen for problem gambling, while the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support was used to measure perceived social support. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21. Results: The lifetime rate of gambling was 51.8%, while the 12-month rate was 18.2%. About 9.2% of the respondents met the criteria for at-risk gambling, while 4.6% met the criteria for problem gambling. Gambling in the past 12 months was significantly associated with lower perceived social support ( P < 0.05). Conclusion: Gambling is associated with poorer perceived social support. This indicates a need to encourage improved social support towards students.