A Reliability Generalization Meta-analysis of the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS).

BACKGROUND

The South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) is one of the most widely used screening instruments for evaluating addiction to gambling.

METHOD

The main objective of this study is to analyze whether the SOGS is a reliable instrument and what characteristics of studies on the SOGS are linked to its reported reliability.

RESULTS

A meta-analysis was carried out with 63 studies including 65 independent samples. The mean value of a was .86 (95% CI of .84–.88), with high heterogeneity (I2 = 98.27%). The variables that explain the most heterogeneity were the continent where the study was performed (R2 = .61), application to participants with or without clinical problems (R2 = .58), the form of administration of the questionnaire (R2 = .56), and the standard deviation in the SOGS score (R2 = .13).

CONCLUSIONS

The results show that the SOGS is a reliable instrument for evaluating gambling addiction. However, the meta-analysis highlights the need to report the reliability values for each empirical study and to provide a set of recommendations for researchers and professionals who use this instrument.