South Oaks Gambling Screen
Screens for pathological gambling behaviour.
In one minute
How it works in 3 steps
- You respond: You mark the items about your gambling behaviour.
- A total is produced: Your answers turn into a total score.
- It is interpreted: The result is evaluated in the context of your behaviour pattern.
Who it informs
When professional support helps
What does the SOGS measure?
The test evaluates the signs of gambling behaviour together: the time and money spent, efforts to win back losses, loss of control and the effects on daily life. In this way it gives a sense of whether the behaviour has become risky.
Higher results suggest that it would be helpful to review a pattern of behavioural addiction, which is something that can be worked on with support.
How is it scored?
Items are marked and summed; a score above certain thresholds points to an increased likelihood of problematic or pathological gambling behaviour.
- Items
- 20
- Score range
- 0–20
- Administration
- Self / observer report
What do the score bands mean?
The ranges below are a general frame. No band makes a diagnosis on its own; a result only becomes meaningful when a clinical psychologist interprets it alongside your life story.
| Score | General interpretation |
|---|---|
| 0–2 | No risk |
| 3–4 | Problem gambling risk |
| 5–20 | Probable pathological gambling |
Limitation: It is a screening tool and a scale never makes a diagnosis on its own. The result should be clarified in a conversation with a specialist.
Psychometrics and source
In its original study the internal consistency was reported as very high; it shows good discrimination in clinical samples.
Original source: Lesieur, H.R. & Blume, S.B. (1987).
How is this scale used at Mete Psikoloji?
At Mete Psikoloji, when working with behavioural addictions, scales like this are used to understand the behaviour pattern and to shape the support plan. Your scores are recorded and followed in your personal portal; clients seen online complete their scales there, and clients seen in person are followed in the same portal. Your clinical psychologist interprets the result together with you.
Related reading
Did your result give you pause?
A scale is only a starting point. By planning an assessment session with our clinical psychologists, you can consider your result alongside the context of your life.