(March 2, 2009 - Insidermedicine) Kindergartners who are particularly impulsive are more likely to engage in gambling behaviour by the sixth grade, according to research published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

Gambling in adulthood is associated with:

•    Depression

•    Suicide

•    Substance abuse

Researchers from the Université de Montréal asked kindergarten teachers to rate nearly 200 of their students with respect to impulsive behaviours. Six years later, the researchers asked the children if they participated in gambling activities.

The more impulsive the children were in kindergarten, the greater the likelihood that they gambled in grade 6. This pattern was seen even after taking into account other factors that might influence gambling behaviour, such as whether their parents gambled.

We had a chance to speak with Dr. Linda Pagani, the principal investigator of this study, who offered some further insight.

Today's research suggests that looking for impulsivity may help identify young children who are on a path toward gambling behaviour.

For Insidermedicine in Depth, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.