Patterns of problem behaviours among a representative sample of youth in Ontario

Behavioural addictions among adolescents are becoming a growing public health concern. It is well established that problem behaviours, particularly substance use behaviours, tend to cluster together. Some research indicates that gambling is associated with substance use, aligning with Problem Behaviour Theory, which suggests that problem behaviours stem from an underlying disposition toward deviance. This study sought to assess whether a) behavioural addictions, including gambling, video gaming and technology use, cluster together and with substance use and b) profiles of problem behaviours are associated with age, race, socioeconomic status, grade achievement, school connectedness, and antisocial behaviour in the total sample and by sex. Participants included 3,631 secondary students from the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey. Latent profile analysis revealed four distinct profiles overall and three profiles in both males and females. Behavioural addictions did not cluster with substance use. This study highlights important patterns in adolescent emerging problem behaviours