Baharak Fazranmehr, B.A., Sarah Savino, B.A. Brandilynn Villarreal, M.A., and Salvatore R. Maddi, Ph.D. University of California, Irvine Hardiness and Excessive Gambling Behaviors INTRODUCTION  Hardiness is a form of psychological resilience that can be increased through training. Through research and practice over the past 30 years, hardiness has emerged as a personality disposition that enhances performance, conduct, sense of fulfillment, and well- being.  Commitment, control, and challenge are a specific set of attitudes that represent Hardiness. These attitudes allow individuals to grow from stressors and become resilient to stressful circumstances (Bonnano, 2004; Maddi, 2005).  HardiCoping is a healthy form of coping in which the stressor is transformed into something positive like a growth and learning experience. In addition, HardiCoping encourages coping with stressful circumstances through a transformational (solution- oriented) rather than regressive (avoidance-oriented) manner (Maddi & Hightower, 1999).  The opposite of HardiCoping is regressive coping, a form of coping that denies and avoids the stressor. Previous research has demonstrated a positive relationship between high levels of anxiety and regressive coping methods, such as gambling behaviors and substance use (Ste-Marie et al., 2002).  Previous research and theory has demonstrated a negative relationship between hardiness and maladaptive coping behaviors, such as drug and alcohol abuse (Bartone et al., 2012).  Problematic gambling is negatively associated with self-control, social support, and problem solving behaviors. Furthermore, problematic gambling behaviors are positively associated with impulsivity and poor stress-coping styles (Nower et al., 2004).  Avoidant coping and stress play an important role in problem gambling (Di Dio, K. & Ong, B., 1998).  The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between hardiness and gambling tendencies. DISCUSSION  Although future research is necessary, we believe that Hardiness training could potentially help individuals with strong gambling tendencies and addiction find better ways of coping and possibly mitigate the negative effects of stress and gambling. LIMITATIONS  Because this study was correlational, we cannot conclude that lower levels of hardiness cause greater gambling behavior.  Our sample included a convenience sample from Craigslist, which may have influenced our results. We hope to gather participants from gambling support groups such as Gamblers Anonymous in future studies.  All measures were self-report. There may be self- report biases influencing the results. FUTURE RESEARCH  Due to our limited sample scope, we would like to study individual who live in cities more inclined to gamble, such as Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada.  Hardiness is a psychological construct that can be increased through the HardiTraining program. After confirming the effect with a larger sample size, the next step would be to administer HardiTraining to various gambling populations such as Gambling Anonymous and other rehab centers using a treatment and control group to see if HardiTraining mitigates excessive gambling tendencies. REFERENCES 1.Bartone, P. T., Hystad, S. W., Eid, J., & Brevik, J. I. (2012). Psychological hardiness and coping style as risk/resilience factors for alcohol abuse. National Defense Univ Fort Mcnair Dc Center For Technology And National Security Policy. 2.Bonanno, G. A. (2004). Loss, trauma, and human resilience: Have we underestimated the human capacity to thrive after extremely aversive events? American Psychologist, 59(1), Di Dio, K., & Ong, B. (1997). The conceptual link between avoidant coping style, stress and problem gambling. Responsible Gambling: A future winner, Nower, L., Derevensky, J. L., & Gupta, R. (2004). The relationship of impulsivity, sensation seeking, coping, and substance use in youth gamblers. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 18(1), Ste-Marie, C., Gupta, R., & Derevensky, J. L. (2006). Anxiety and social stress related to adolescent gambling behavior and substance use. Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse, 15(4), METHOD Measures  Hardiness PVS III-R (Maddi & Kohshaba, 2001): Measures the three areas of Hardiness: commitment, control, and challenge. The scale included 18 items on a scale of 0 to 3, with 0=Not true and 3=Very true.  South Oaks Gambling Screen (South Oaks Foundation, 1992): The scale included a 20 item questionnaire based on DSM-III criteria for pathological gambling. Items were measured on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1=Not at all, 2=Less than once a week, 3=Once a week or more. RESULTS  Supporting our hypothesis, hardiness was significantly negatively correlated with gambling (r = -.562, p = <.001).  Commitment, Control, and Challenge were also correlated with gambling: Commitment (r = -.587, p = <.001), Control (r = -.624, p = <.001), Challenge (r = -.291, p = <.001 ). Table 1: Bivariate Correlations of Components of Hardiness and Gambling Total Score  When Commitment, Control, and Challenge were correlated with gambling, Control was the most negatively correlated subscale. DISCUSSION  Hardiness was significantly negatively correlated with gambling, such that higher levels of Hardiness were associated with lower levels of gambling and lower levels of Hardiness were associated with higher levels of gambling.  The Control subscale was the most negatively correlated with gambling. This finding suggests that a lack of control may be an important factor in gambling tendencies. HYPOTHESIS  There will be a negative association between levels of Hardiness and gambling tendencies, such that the higher a person’s gambling tendencies, the lower their level of Hardiness and vice versa. METHOD Participants 99 undergraduate students and 109 adults from the general public with self-proclaimed gambling tendencies. Ethnicity 38% Caucasian/White, 12% Latino/Hispanic/Chicano, 14.4% African American/Black, 23.1% Asian/Asian American, 2.9% Native American, 3.8% Middle Eastern/Middle Eastern American, 4.8% multi-racial, and 1% other. Gender: 44% Male & 56% Female Procedure: Undergraduates completed an online survey and were compensated for their participation with extra credit in a course of their choosing. The participants from the general public were recruited through a Craigslist advertisement. They completed an online survey and were compensated for their participation with either a five dollar Amazon gift card or a five dollar Starbucks gift card.