Gambling and Self-Monitoring Test (SeMo)

Abstract

The Gambling and Self-Monitoring Test (SeMo) is a brief psychological scale designed to assess an individual’s knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs regarding gambling behavior and the importance of self-monitoring as a preventive measure against problem gambling. Developed as part of a comprehensive educational curriculum titled, “Life Skills, Mathematical Reasoning and Critical Thinking: Curriculum for the Prevention of Problem Gambling,” the SeMo aims to identify specific misconceptions or cognitive biases that may predispose individuals to risky gambling practices.

The instrument consists of 14 items that gauge understanding across several domains, including the emotional impact of gambling, the ability to track expenditures, common gambler fallacies (such as the ‘gambler’s fallacy’), and the effectiveness of various coping mechanisms. The primary function of the SeMo is diagnostic within an educational context, helping educators or clinicians pinpoint areas where intervention or further teaching on responsible gambling is required.

Keywords

Gambling, Self-Monitoring, Problem Gambling, Cognitive Biases, Risk Assessment, Prevention Curriculum, Attitudes, Beliefs, Life Skills.

Authors

Turner, Nigel; Littman-Sharp, Nancy; Zengeneh, Minoo; Spence, W.; Macdonald, John; Somerset, Matthew.

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Purpose

The primary purpose of the SeMo is two-fold: first, to serve as an evaluative tool within a structured prevention curriculum aimed at adolescents and young adults; and second, to measure the level of awareness and critical thinking skills related to the risks associated with gambling. The scale specifically targets the detection of faulty assumptions, such as the belief that winning back losses solves the problem or that sheer willpower negates the negative effects of the behavior.

By assessing an individual’s capacity for self-monitoring—the ability to observe and regulate one’s own behavior and internal states—the SeMo helps predict vulnerability to developing disordered gambling habits. It functions as a foundational assessment to guide educational interventions focused on mathematical reasoning and critical evaluation of gambling myths.

Construct

The SeMo scale measures constructs related to Gambling-Related Cognitive Biases and Behavioral Self-Monitoring Capacity. Cognitive biases in this context refer to systematic errors in thinking concerning the probability and control involved in gambling (e.g., the belief in a “due” win after losses, or the influence of “gut feeling”).

The Self-Monitoring construct assesses an individual’s perceived ability and tendency to track their financial and emotional investment in gambling, as well as their recognition of problematic behaviors (e.g., hiding the problem, making excuses, or sacrificing enjoyable activities). High scores on items reflecting poor self-monitoring or strong endorsement of biases suggest a higher risk profile for developing problem gambling.

Validity

Specific empirical data regarding the construct validity, criterion validity, or predictive validity of the SeMo scale were not detailed in the provided excerpt. However, its inclusion in a rigorously developed curriculum suggests an underlying foundation of content validity, ensuring that the items accurately reflect key misconceptions and risk factors identified by experts in gambling research and prevention.

The scale items demonstrate strong face validity by directly addressing common myths and maladaptive coping strategies associated with disordered gambling behaviors. Researchers seeking detailed psychometric analyses should consult the complete curriculum manual published by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).

Reliability

Detailed statistics such as Cronbach’s Alpha or test-retest reliability coefficients for the SeMo were not available in the source material. Given that the instrument is integrated into an educational curriculum for prevention, it is assumed that the developers conducted internal consistency checks to ensure the items cohere around the central constructs of self-monitoring and critical thinking regarding gambling.

Reliability is crucial for any assessment tool used in intervention planning. Researchers using the SeMo should consult the full “Final Report to the Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre” (2008) for comprehensive reliability data before applying the instrument in clinical or large-scale research settings.

Factor Analysis

Information regarding the specific factor structure of the 14 items of the SeMo is not provided. Based on the content, it is highly likely that the scale measures at least two distinct factors: one relating to cognitive distortions (e.g., items concerning winning back losses or following gut feelings) and another relating to behavioral and emotional awareness/self-monitoring failures (e.g., items concerning hiding the problem or inability to track spending).

A formal factor analysis would be necessary to confirm if these hypothesized subscales operate independently or if a single latent construct (e.g., “Gambling Literacy and Awareness”) underlies all items. Such analysis is essential for accurate scoring and interpretation in research focusing on the specific mechanisms of gambling vulnerability.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report attitude and knowledge assessment scale.

Format: 14 Likert-style items. Scoring uses a 4-point scale: 1=“Strongly Disagree” to 4=“Strongly Agree”.

Language Available: English (based on source material).

Population Group: Educational setting participants, individuals receiving problem gambling prevention training.

Age Group: Likely adolescents and young adults (implied by the “Life Skills” curriculum focus).

Population Details: Developed for use in prevention programs, specifically referenced in a report to the Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre.

Test Methodology: Quantitative assessment of beliefs and self-awareness related to gambling behavior and associated risks.

Keywords

Attitude measurement, Prevention science, Educational curriculum, Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre, Likert scale, Cognitive distortion, Behavioral assessment.

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Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not specified in source content.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not specified in source content.

Correspondence Address: Correspondence is typically directed through the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) or the Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Test Year: The scale was formalized around 2002–2008, coinciding with the publication of the foundational research (Turner et al., 2002) and the final curriculum report (Macdonald et al., 2008).

Permissions & Fee: The instrument is contained within a publicly available curriculum report. Formal permission for research or commercial use should be sought from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) or the primary authors. Fees are not specified.

Reference’s

Macdonald, J., Turner, N., & Somerset, M. (2008). Life Skills, Mathematical Reasoning and Critical Thinking: Curriculum for the Prevention of Problem Gambling. Final Report to the Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

Turner, N., Littman-Sharp, N., Zengeneh, M. & Spence, W. (2002). Winners: Why do some develop gambling problems while others do not? Available online at: www.gamblingresearch.org.

The instrument can be found on page 48 of the 2008 curriculum report. Citation information is available via PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18095146.

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Items of the Gambling and Self-Monitoring Test (SeMo)

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

• 1. Gambling does not affect problems gamblers’ emotions
• 2. It is impossible for the average person to keep track of how much they spend whilegambling
• 3. You can increase your chances of winning by following your gut feeling
• 4. Self-monitoring means asking a friend if s/he thinks you are headed for a problem
• 5. A problem gambler would stop ha‎ving a problem if s/he won all his/her money back
• 6. A problem gambler hides his/her problem so well that it bothers no one.
• 7. Problem gambling is only a matter of how much money you lose
• 8. My mind is too complex for me to see what is going on inside of it
• 9. A problem gambler believes that after several losses‚ they are due for a win
• 10. A problem gambler often doesn’t participate in many of the of the activities s/he used to enjoy
• 11. Excitement can make you bet more frequently and bet more money
• 12. Making excuses for problematic beahaviour is an example of an effective coping skill
• 13. A person will a gambling problem will keep playing; making larger bets to try and get his/her money back
• 14. Thinking a lot about gambling may indicate that you have a gambling problem