Psychometric Properties of the revised Inventory of Gambling Motives, Attitudes and Behaviors (GMAB-R)

Abstract

Anise Man Sze Wu, Vivienne Yick Ku Tao, Kwok Kit Tong, and Shu Fai Cheung (University of Macau)

In order to enhance the assessment validity and reliability, indigenous measurements of gambling cognitions and behaviors should be empirically developed and evaluated in Chinese populations. The Inventory of Gambling Motives, Attitudes and Behaviours (GMAB) for Chinese gamblers was first developed in 2011. Later, it was further refined and revised into the GMAB-R, based on the psychometric evaluation results among 697 Chinese adults in Macao who were randomly recruited and interviewed on telephone in a questionnaire survey. The GMAB-R consists of 25 items of six subscales of motives (self-worth, monetary gains, sensation seeking, boredom alleviation, learning, and socialization), 20 items of four subscales of attitudes (fate and luck, negative consequences of gambling, techniques, and superstition), and 18 items of five subscales of behaviours (impaired control, gambling involvement, arousal reaction, superstitious behaviour, and controlled gambling). Both the results of confirmatory factor analysis, correlation analysis, and regression analysis demonstrated the psychometric properties of the GMAB-R satisfactory. We conclude that the GMAB-R can serve as a valid and reliable assessment tool for not only future academic research among Chinese gamblers but also clinical intervention for excessive gambling.