Abstract

The Self-Regulatory Executive Function (S-REF) model suggests that both positive and negative metacognitive beliefs about gambling may play a role in the persistence of gambling behavior. This study aimed to translate and validate the Korean version of the Metacognitions about Gambling Questionnaire (K-MGQ). A total of 273 adult males participated in the research. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) supported a two-factor structure comprising positive metacognitive beliefs (MGQ-P) and negative metacognitive beliefs (MGQ-N), aligning with the original scale. Convergent validity was established through significant positive correlations with the Korean version of the South Oaks Gambling Screen (K-SOGS), the Korean Gambling Symptom Assessment Scale (KG-SAS), and the Korean version of the NODS (K-NODS). Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that both positive and negative metacognitive beliefs significantly contributed to the variance in gambling severity, even when controlling for depression (K-PHQ-9), trait anxiety (K-STAI-T), and irrational gambling beliefs (K-GABS). Furthermore, Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis assessed the scale’s clinical discriminative utility using K-SOGS cutoff scores. These results indicate that the K-MGQ is a reliable and valid tool for evaluating gambling-related metacognitive beliefs among Korean adult males. The paper also discusses implications, limitations, and avenues for future research.