Degree Name
MA (Master of Arts)
Program
Psychology
Date of Award
8-2025
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Meredith Ginley
Committee Members
Jill Stinson, Stacey Williams
Abstract
This study examined the relation between Appalachian identity and gambling behavior among students in central Appalachia (n = 395). One-way ANOVAs revealed no significant differences in engagement, F(2, 392) = 0.65, p = .523, or severity, F(2, 392) = 0.33, p = .718, across identification groups. Moderated regression showed that identity did not significantly moderate the engagement–severity relation (B = 0.073, p = .099), though engagement itself was a strong predictor of harm (B = 0.696, p < .001, R² = .521). Negative affect predicted both engagement (B = 0.074, p = .001) and severity (B = 0.069, p = .001), while identity remained non-significant. Logistic regression found that identity predicted gambling engagement (Exp(B) = 1.18, p = .034) only when controlling for severity. These findings relay the importance of empirical efforts in Appalachia and suggest that Appalachian identity may not be an independent risk factor in gambling behavior.
Document Type
Thesis - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Anderson, Noah S., "The Intersection of Appalachian Identity and Gambling Behavior" (2025). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 4566. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/4566
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.
