BACKGROUND: Online learning has the potential to increase accessibility to high quality and cost-effective resources in prevention of risk behaviors. The aim of this pilot study was to assess the experience of university students with the comprehensive online course on prevention. METHODS: In this pilot study, an online questionnaire was administered to 51 Czech and 31 Ukrainian university students who completed the online Introduction to Evidence-based Prevention (INEP) full semester course between February 2022 and February 2023. Students were asked about their experience with INEP represented by 17 distinct features. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and mean comparisons tests. RESULTS: Students reported high overall satisfaction with INEP and with its respected features. The Structure and the Relevance features of INEP have been especially appreciated, while the Quizzes feature was perceived as only average by most students. INEP seemed to encourage most students (82%) to take other e-learning courses. CONCLUSION: The online INEP course received favorable feedback from university students across two distinct settings. INEP holds potential for broader integration into university study programs. These findings add to the ongoing discourse regarding enhancements in the education of future prevention professionals, making them relevant to practitioners, policymakers, and university-level decision-makers.

The study examined the effect of trait psychopathy and BAS fun-seeking on alcohol drinking and whether this effect is moderated by thinking styles. We hypothesized that psychopathy will indirectly predict alcohol drinking through BAS fun-seeking, moderated by experientiality and rationality. METHODS: The research sample of the cross-sectional study consisted of 241 working adults (47.30% men). Participants completed the Short Dark Triad, Behavioral Inhibition (BIS) and Behavioral Activation Scales (BAS), the Rational-Experiential Inventory-40, and the Health Behavior Inventory. RESULTS: Psychopathy indirectly predicted alcohol drinking through BAS fun-seeking. Experientiality significantly moderated the relationship between BAS fun-seeking and alcohol drinking. In the context of high experientiality, BAS fun-seeking predicted alcohol drinking positively and significantly. Rationality did not create a significant context for predicting alcohol drinking by BAS fun-seeking and psychopathy.

The sports sector with all its aspects has become an inseparable part of modern society and its influence is manifested in both, local and global, aspects of the life in every country. Not only does sport create and promote friendship, team play, regardless of gender, age, education, religion, ethnicity, social status, etc., but it is also associated with numerous undesirable consequences. AIM: The primary objective of the research paper at hand was to examine the correlation between the amount invested in sports betting, as a form of gambling, and selected characteristics of university students in the Czech Republic. METHODS: Various scientific methods, including analysis, synthesis, induction, and deduction, were employed in the preparation of the research article. Additionally, selected key databases such as the citation and reference database Scopus and the bibliographic and citation database WOS. The study comprised university students from the Czech Republic. The first group included 391 participants with prior experience in sports betting, while the second group comprised 679 respondents who had no previous exposure to sports betting. RESULTS: The results confirm the dependence between the amount invested in sports betting, as a category of gambling, and one’s biological age, as well as gender or the type of faculty the respondent studies. Furthermore, the results in relation to sports betting confirm its dependence on the respondent’s relationship to sports. CONCLUSIONS: The most common betting platform (bookmaker) preferred by university students in the Czech Republic for sports betting is an online or internet betting agency.

In response to the emerging recognition of the need for Evidence-Based Practices (EBPs) for treating PSUDs, the Universal Treatment Curriculum (UTC) was conceptualized as a training series that is being conducted globally. This study delved into the experiences of addiction practitioners who completed the Universal Treatment Curriculum (UTC) training and utilize their UTC background to provide care for people with substance use disorder (PSUD). METHODS: Ten addiction practitioners were interviewed, and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was employed to analyze the interview transcripts. RESULTS: Three superordinate themes highlighted the experiences of the participants in the UTC training, mainly focused on takeaways and reflections post-UTC training, as well as challenges during UTC training. Regarding the effectiveness of the UTC training when translated to the treatment of PSUDs, the two superordinate themes pertained to participant and treatment outcomes including paradigm shift, increase in self-awareness, re-engaging in volunteer work, applying acquired training skills to the actual workplace, and ethical practice. In terms of impact on the client’s treatment process, the theme that emerged is related to having a functional, meaningful life. CONCLUSION: The findings highlight the significant impact of UTC training on professional development, client care, and treatment outcomes. The emphasis on individual-based development and professional learning communities contributed to participants’ growth and competence in their field.

INTRODUCTION: This systematic review aims to synthesize and summarize the available evidence on the definitions of craving and withdrawal, the nature and presence of withdrawal symptoms, the duration of abstinence, the prevalence and nature of craving. RESULTS: A total of 29 studies met the inclusion criteria. Inconsistencies were revealed in definitions of craving and abstinence, as well as in the specific withdrawal symptoms that might be present among players. Furthermore, there is a predominance of exploration of affective symptoms compared to cognitive and physical symptoms. Mini meta-analyses indicate a significant difference in depression, anxiety, and craving between players with Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and regular players. Most studies typically used short-term abstinence, during which participants refrain from specific behaviours for periods ranging from a few days. A majority of studies did not provide information on the occurrence of craving. CONCLUSIONS: Emphasizing craving reduction may alleviate gaming-related withdrawal severity. Longitudinal and qualitative research is essential for understanding craving and withdrawal phenomenology. Bridging the empirical-clinical gap in gaming disorder requires interdisciplinary studies. Investigating prevalent withdrawal symptoms aids in comprehensive research and refined treatments. Prioritizing craving assessment before, during, and after abstinence is crucial.

Family involvement has proven to be a protective factor in childhood and adolescence, acting as a preventive barrier against risky behaviours, such as substance abuse and addiction, among minors and youth. Family- and community-based intervention strategies for environmental prevention have been deemed effective; however, empirical data is scarce. The study aims to provide a conceptualised framework for the FERYA program (Networked and Active Families), a bottom-up environmental prevention program running in Spain since 2012 (known as EPOPS - Empowering Parents Organizations to Prevent Substance use at EU level). FERYA integrates community- and family- based approaches to prevent risk behaviours among youth by changing intervention paradigms from individual to community and environmental perspectives, especially aimed at leisure. For this purpose, the program focuses on the empowerment of Family Organisations (FOs) as leaders in prevention efforts within a larger community- based stakeholder system. This study provides an overview of FERYA’s conceptual framework and outlines its development in Spain. It addresses the risk and protective factors identified during the intervention and its scope, the difficulties encountered during implementation, and the role of families in advocating for evidence-based prevention and promotion of their preventive rights. A Logic Model framework highlights the main variables in the planning process (i.e. resources, activities, products, results, and other related variables). Finally, this study addresses the importance of measuring the long-term outcomes of the program while considering contemporary socialisation modes, such as digital technologies, when planning environmental prevention strategies targeting the youth.

INTRODUCTION: Parental technoference (PTF) refers to the behaviour of a parent who looks at the screen of their smartphone (or other electronic device) instead of their child’s face during parent-child interaction. The parent’s inattention to the child disrupts adult–child reciprocal trust and warmth, negatively affecting the parent-child relationship. The parent may also unconsciously convey to the child that they are of low importance. Additionally, given that children lack awareness about what is right and wrong in relation to screen use, frequent PTF may lead to the establishment of bad habits and a lack of self-regulation in the child’s own screen use. This study aimed to explore the prevalence and severity of technoference in parents of elementary school children and the associations between PTF and sociodemographic variables and parental problematic screen use. METHODS: We analyzed survey data from 1915 parents of primary school children (mean age: 8.4 years) from Czechia, Slovakia, and Finland. RESULTS: The frequency of self-reported PTF differed based on sociodemographic characteristics. We found a positive association between PTF and the parent’s education, family income, child’s position among siblings, child’s year of study, size of the city where the family lived, and parent’s self-reported problematic digital use. No association was found between PTF and the child’s sex, parent’s sex, parent’s age and family intactness. CONCLUSIONS: Parents with a university degree, those with higher incomes and those living in large cities were found to be at greater risk for PTF. Further studies that analyze potential moderators, such as parenting stress and work-related screen use are warranted to better understand the dynamics of PTF.

INTRODUCTION: Longitudinal prevention research in adolescents often involves sensitive data collection, necessitating anonymity. Self-Generated Identification Codes (SGICs) have emerged as a tool for linking anonymous data while preserving privacy, but their effectiveness, especially in large-scale studies, remains underexplored. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of using SGICs for linking anonymous longitudinal data in a school-based substance use prevention study. METHODS: We utilized a three-armed randomized control trial design, utilizing data from the Czech Unplugged Study. The study involved schoolchildren from 71 schools in the Czech Republic, tracked from 6th to 9th grade. SGICs were used to link anonymous survey data across multiple waves. The sample comprised 2,571 pupils, aged 11–13 years, with data collected over seven waves, resulting in a total of 15,289 questionnaires. RESULTS: The study demonstrated a high rate of SGIC completion (99.2%) and substantial linkability across survey waves. However, errors in SGICs were observed, with certain characters being more prone to inaccuracies. The results showed that 8.5% of all children’s SGICs contained one or more missing or erroneous characters; the proportion of errors gradually decreased over time. CONCLUSION: The study’s findings provide insights into the practicality and challenges of using SGICs in large-scale, longitudinal studies. SGICs offer a viable solution for linking longitudinal data while maintaining participant anonymity. The study highlights the importance of careful SGIC design and the need for further research into optimizing this methodology for large-scale adolescent studies.

INTRODUCTION: The impact of ongoing conflict in the country on substance use among youth remains unclear. This study aims to identify the risk factors for substance use among university students and their association with mental health problems and sociodemographic characteristics during the war in Ukraine. METHODS: University students (N =1398) in Ukraine aged 18-20 (75.5% female) completed surveys on substance use, PTSD, depressive and anxiety symptoms, and a brief screening for insomnia and suicidal behavior. ANOVA analysis was used to examine interaction between sociodemographic characteristics and CRAFFT risk score, and ANCOVA analysis to explore the interaction between covariates. Additionally, we applied the Pearson correlation adjusted with Benjamini-Hochberg procedure to determine correlations of main variables with substance use intensity. RESULTS: A total of 66.4% of university students reported alcohol use, 11.5% had used other substances. The vast majority of students had a trauma experience (91.1%), and more than half experienced multiple trauma (62.0%). Students of relatively older age, those who were relocated twice (inside Ukraine and abroad or abroad and back to Ukraine), stopped education, or were on academic leave used substances more. Any traumatic experience was associated with more intensive substance consumption. Living with relatives and having better wellbeing before the war was connected with lower substance use. CONCLUSIONS: Traumatic experiences and unsecure living environment due to the ongoing war in Ukraine put Ukrainian students at high risk of further increases of mental health and substance use issues. Preventive measures are needed to protect students from the war adversities and to help them develop psychological resilience.