The Associations of Mental Health Disturbances, Self-Esteem, and Partner Violence Victimization with Condom Use in Spanish Adolescents.

Risky sexual behaviors, such as not using a condom for preventing sexually transmittable diseases and unwanted pregnancies, are associated with emotional and psychological problems in adolescence, including higher levels of depression, anxiety, stress, and low self-esteem. Adolescents with a history of violence victimization are also at increased risk of engaging in sexual risk behaviors. In this study, we examined the associations between mental health disturbances and partner violence victimization and the non-use of condoms among young people in Spain. We also examined self-esteem as a mediator of mental health problems and unprotected sexual relationships. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 831 adolescents randomly selected from 25 high schools in Spain. From the initial sample, 285 students (144 men and 141 women) from high schools in Alicante (Spain) who reported having experienced sexual activity with at least one partner were approached. The results showed that one in three adolescents between 14 and 19 years old did not use condoms during sexual intercourse. The factors associated with the non-use of condoms in the estimated models of Poisson robust variance were having a history of physical, psychological, or sexual violence; having been expelled from school because of behavioral problems; and having higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress and lower levels of self-esteem. Self-esteem was independently associated with the non-use of condoms. Having lower levels of self-esteem increased the risk of not using a condom during participants' last sexual intercourse. These findings suggest the importance of developing public health strategies for mental health promotion to increase condom use among adolescents.

Effects of a School-Based Intervention for Preventing Substance Use among Adolescents at Risk of Academic Failure: A Pilot Study of the Reasoning and Rehabilitation V2 Program.

Tobacco, alcohol and cannabis use are important health problems that contribute greatly to causes of death in worldwide. Early onset of substance use increases rapidly during adolescence and it has been associated with a wide range of adverse events. Because substance use is associated with dramatic consequences, delaying the initiation of substance use among adolescents remains a major public priority. This study examined the effectiveness of a school-based intervention program based on the application of the Reasoning and Rehabilitation V2 (R&R2) program for preventing substance use among adolescents at risk of academic failure. A sample of 142 participants (aged 13-17 years old) who were studying alternative education provision in Spain were randomly allocated to two conditions (68 experimental group, 74 control group). A pre-test survey assessing past and current substance use was conducted prior the implementation of the program, while a post-test survey was conducted about 12 months after the pre-test. The results showed a significant effect of the R&R program in the reduction of cigarette smoking, episodes of drunkenness, alcohol consumption and cannabis use. However, for daily smoking and episodes of drunkenness such benefits showed a reduction over time. These findings offer additional evidence of the effectiveness of the Reasoning and Rehabilitation V2 program in Spanish adolescent students who are exposed to substance use and suggest areas of future research.

Effectiveness of the Reasoning and Rehabilitation V2 Programme for Improving Personal and Social Skills in Spanish Adolescent Students.

Significant progress has been made in developing intervention programmes for adolescents at high risk of delinquency, school failure and emotional problems. The most effective programmes incorporate behavioural and skills training aimed at changing attitudes and promoting psychosocial and emotional skills in adolescents. This study examined the effectiveness of a school-based intervention programme based on the Reasoning and Rehabilitation V2 (R&R2). R&R2 is a cognitive behavioural programme developed using psychological theories about the aetiology of delinquency, as well as the cognitive, behavioural and socioemotional deficits in high-risk youth populations. A sample of 142 students (aged 13-17 years old) who were attending alternative education provision in Spain were randomly assigned to two experimental conditions (68 experimental group, 74 control group). The results showed that the R&R2 improved participants' self-esteem, social skills, empathy and rational problem-solving with a medium-large effect size (η2 = 0.08 to 0.26). The effects of the programme were significant after controlling for age and the pre-test scores in baseline. These findings confirm the effectiveness of the Reasoning and Rehabilitation V2 programme in Spanish adolescent students and offer additional evidence regarding the implementation of the R&R2 programme in both alternative educational and mainstream school settings.

Relationships between Problematic Cannabis Use and Risky Behaviors in Spanish Adolescents.

This study examined the relations between problematic cannabis use, physical assault, and getting involved in a motor vehicle accident under the influence of cannabis in a sample of adolescents randomly selected from 25 public and semiprivate high schools in Alicante (Spain). Participants (n = 648) completed The Spanish National Standardized Survey about drug use in high school adolescents (ESTUDES, 2017), which includes the cannabis abuse screening test (CAST). Prevalence of cannabis use across the life-span and within the past 30 days was 37.5% and 17.4%, respectively. CAST scores were associated with an increased risk of driving under the effects of cannabis, riding shotgun, and physical assault, but not with an increased risk of having a motor vehicle accident. There were no differences between boys and girls in the association of problematic cannabis use with risky behaviors. This result highlights the importance of comprehensive prevention and education strategies for adolescents at high risk of cannabis use.