Does Online Gambling in the Workplace Explain the Relationship Between Problem Gambling and Adverse Work and Mental Health Outcomes?
The team’s previous self-report research found that increased workplace online gambling mediated the association between problem gambling and decreased job performance. Social desirability bias may lead to gambling at work being under-reported. Sam’s project extends that work by objectively measuring workplace online gambling alongside mental health and work outcomes.
Approach and methodology
The one-month online longitudinal study will include a mobile-sensing period that objectively tracks time spent using online gambling applications during work hours. The study will also examine depression, anxiety, stress and work engagement.
Expected contribution
The project aims to provide stronger evidence about the productivity and health implications of workplace online gambling and to inform future organizational and policy discussions.
The researchers also intend the results to inform discussion about online-gambling regulation at both organizational and federal levels.
About the researcher
Sam Hawkins is a first-year PhD student in Clinical Psychology at Dalhousie University. His honours research examined problem gambling, workplace online gambling and job performance. More broadly, he is interested in well-being in and outside the workplace and in interventions that can promote it.
Sam’s career goal is to become a scientist-practitioner in an academic health setting.
