Urkaev V. Psycho-correction of the propensity to gambling (deviation) among persons of early youth age

Under the propensity to gambling means a pre-disease condition (deviations, pre-morbidity) of the pathological gambling. In early youth age, propensity to gambling is associated with fail in self-determination which is appears in the sequence individual psychological qualities. The study sample consisted of 156 people, including 124 girls and 32 boys aged 16-17 years. Pre-disease form of gambling was present in 21 people, which accounted for 13,47% of the sample. To study the propensity to gambling in early youth age, a sample of 71 people was used – balanced by gender (39 girls and 32 boys) and the frequency of presence in these groups of gambling pre-morbid form (12 and 9 cases, respectively). The effectiveness of the psycho-correction program was studied on the basis of comparing the results of psycho-diagnostics of 15 people with pre-disease form of gambling before and after the psycho-correction program. In the concluding part of the study it was found that the following individual psychological traits increase the probability of the studied deviation: psychological dependence, violation of identity and the process of self-actualization, dissatisfaction with the level of their achievements, lack of high self-esteem, psychological distress. The propensity to gambling was more common in young adults who: did not have clearly defined goals in life, had a mediocre focus and incomplete satisfaction with the saturation of their lives. On the basis of the factor analysis, the belonging of the revealed individual psychological features of persons with pre-disease form of gambling to fail self-determination is confirmed. Presents the author's program of psycho-correction of propensity to gambling, which involves group work once a week for 17 lessons. It is proved that the developed psycho-correction program statistically significantly helped to weaken some components of psychological dependence, develop a holistic identity, improve self-actualization and self-esteem, increase the level of meaningfulness of life, reduce the severity of pre-morbid form of gambling (among 47% of participants the deviation, that studied, is disappeared).