Izabela Ramona LUPU*1 & Viorel LUPU2
1Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
2 Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to compare a program of rational emotive education plus specific primary prevention (developed for restructuring erroneous information about gambling) with a rational emotive education program. Participants were randomized (N = 75, age 12- 13) into three groups: 1) Control; 2) Rational emotive education plus specific information about games using the interactive software “Amazing Chateau”; and 3) Rational emotive education. All teenagers filled a 38 items questionnaire regarding their knowledge about gambling, at the beginning and at the end of the study (after 10 weekly meetings). Each item had three answering options, teenagers being asked to choose only one correct answer. The results of the study confirmed that using primary prevention tools designed specifically for gambling activities, along with programs which improve socio-emotional development, as rational emotive education does, is more efficient than using rational emotive education by itself. Results were maintained at follow up (3, 6, 9, and 12 month). Results demonstrate that school programs should include specific primary prevention activities for gambling along with rational emotive education in order to restructure erroneous information about gambling in teenagers. This study tried to satisfy the need for evidence-based research about prevention programs for gambling, demonstrating that specific prevention programs targeting gambling should be combined with rational emotive education in order to have better and long lasting results.
Keywords: gambling, adolescent, prevention, rational emotive education (REE), “Amazing Chateau”
