The role of deviant leisure tendencies and loneliness in gambling craving
Frontiers in Public Health, vol.14, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, SSCI, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Volume: 14
- Publication Date: 2026
- Doi Number: 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1831870
- Journal Name: Frontiers in Public Health
- Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Psycinfo, Directory of Open Access Journals
- Keywords: deviant leisure, gambling, loneliness, tendencies, university students
- Open Archive Collection: AVESIS Open Access Collection
- İstanbul Yeni Yüzyıl University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
The aim of this study is to examine the relationships between gambling craving, deviant leisure tendencies, and loneliness among university students. The study was conducted using a cross-sectional correlational design with a sample of 521 students from different faculties. Data were collected using the Gambling Craving Scale (GCS), the Adult Deviant Leisure Tendency Scale (ADLTS), the UCLA Loneliness Scale (ULS-8), and analyzed using t-tests, Pearson correlation, and hierarchical regression analysis. Correlation analysis indicated that gambling craving was strongly correlated with deviant leisure tendencies, whereas loneliness showed a weaker but statistically significant correlation. When examined within a hierarchical regression model controlling for demographic and behavioral variables, deviant leisure tendencies demonstrated a substantially stronger association with gambling craving compared to loneliness. In addition, group comparisons revealed that individuals reporting passive leisure engagement and substance use exhibited higher levels of gambling craving. Overall, the findings suggest that gambling craving may be more appropriately understood within the broader context of risk-oriented leisure patterns. However, these results should be interpreted cautiously given the cross-sectional design and reliance on self-report measures, and they do not imply causal relationships. Accordingly, practical implications should be considered as preliminary.