Effectiveness of the Brief Guided Self-Change Therapy Combined with Varenicline under "Real-Life" Conditions and Mediators for Smoking Cessation.

Background: Brief therapies have proven to reduce tobacco cost-effectively, however, unsuccessful quit attempts remain notable in real-life conditions, and the underlying mechanisms of treatment success are still unclear. Objectives: We aimed to analyze the effectiveness of the Guided Self-Change (GSC) therapy combined with varenicline (VAR+T) in public health services against varenicline alone (VAR), and to identify mediators of treatment outcomes. We conducted a two-arm quasi-experimental study with 126 treatment-seeking smokers (age=57.3±9.1 years; 59.5% women). Before treatment, and at weeks 12 and 24, we assessed tobacco use and five potential mediators: withdrawal, craving, motivation to quit, anxiety, and depression. Results: Only 25% of participants adhered to varenicline prescription, and 54% to GSC therapy. VAR+T group showed a greater proportion of abstainers compared to VAR group at week 12 (75% vs 57.4%; φc=0.21) and week 24 (62.9% vs 52.5%; φc=0.10). When controlling for weeks taking varenicline, motivation showed a significant indirect effect over abstinence rates in VAR+T compared with VAR (a1b1=1.34; 95%CI=0.04, 5.03). Conclusions: The GSC effectiveness seems to increase motivation which in turn contributes to reducing tobacco use. The implementation of GSC therapy in public health services could minimize treatment duration and increase smoking abstinence in 'real-life' conditions where varenicline adherence remains low.

Breaking the cycle of emotional flooding: the protective role of women's emotional intelligence in couple's conflict.

Introduction: One of the most damaging aspects, both for people's well-being and for close relationships, is conflict. Beyond different stressors, the emotions evoked, their regulation and an appropriate conflict resolution strategy will reduce negative consequences. Emotional Intelligence facilitates social relationships, but little applied research has been done on the relationship with couple conflict and emotional flooding, particularly from the perspective of women. Therefore, the present study analyzes the role of Perceived Emotional Intelligence (PEI) and the mediating effect of Positive Conflict Resolution strategies (PCR) in couples' conflicts from women's perspective, examining its effect on Emotional Flooding (EF) and Satisfaction. Methods: Through a cross-sectional design, the relationships between variables were analyzed using group comparisons and means of a structural equation model (SEM) in a sample of 692 women. Results: Significant differences were found between the groups by age, length of relationship, and motherhood. The SEM revealed a good fit. PEI predicted 71.8% of the variance in EF and 35% in Satisfaction through PCR and Conflict.

Social networks as tools for the prevention and promotion of health among youth.

The emergence of information and communication technologies (ICT) has generated a number of research questions, related to their use and potential risk, but also potentials for prevention or health promotion. Online social networks have become an important source of information for users as well as a tool for social relations. As traditional social networks, they can act as vehicles to improve the health of adolescents and youth, as well as play a key role in an educational context. The aim of this work is then to explore the theoretical relevance of ICT, particularly on online social networks, on disease prevention and health promotion of communicable diseases. Literature review points out the role of online social networks, particularly in the field of sexual health, body image, especially eating habits and overweight, as well as smoking and alcohol dependence. Data allow us to understand how online social network behavior and interaction is related to their burden and interventions developed in sexual health and addiction show positive results. More efforts in body image are needed in order to use these tools for prevention and promotion of health from early age.

Social networks as tools for the prevention and promotion of health among youth

Abstract The emergence of information and communication technologies (ICT) has generated a number of research questions, related to their use and potential risk, but also potentials for prevention or health promotion. Online social networks have become an important source of information for users as well as a tool for social relations. As traditional social networks, they can act as vehicles to improve the health of adolescents and youth, as well as play a key role in an educational context. The aim of this work is then to explore the theoretical relevance of ICT, particularly on online social networks, on disease prevention and health promotion of communicable diseases. Literature review points out the role of online social networks, particularly in the field of sexual health, body image, especially eating habits and overweight, as well as smoking and alcohol dependence. Data allow us to understand how online social network behavior and interaction is related to their burden and interventions developed in sexual health and addiction show positive results. More efforts in body image are needed in order to use these tools for prevention and promotion of health from early age.

Preditores do uso do Facebook pelos adolescentes portugueses: Contributos de um estudo exploratório / Predictors of Facebook use among Portuguese adolescents: Contributes of an exploratory study

Resumo A generalização do uso das redes sociais online, tem trazido oportunidades e constrangimentos ao mesmo tempo-ou até mais depressa-que a investigação e o conhecimento sobre este tópico. Neste trabalho, pretendemos explorer o papel de variáveis pessoais e psicossociais no uso do Facebook, recorrendo a um conjunto de questionários de autorrelato junto de uma amostra de 386 adolescentes portugueses. Os resultados obtidos permitem verificar diferenças na utilização em função do género, uma relação positiva com a idade, a autorregulação e autoestima, sendo a interação com pares da sua rede de contactos offline o mais forte preditor para o uso das redes sociais. Estes dados sugerem o papel desta aplicação como um meio para manter o contacto com os pares.

Abstract The widespread use of social networks has brought opportunities and constraints at the same time, even faster than research and knowledge on this topic. In this paper, we intend to explore the role of personal and psychosocial variables in Facebook use, considering a set of self-report questionnaires to a sample of 386 Portuguese adolescents. We found gender differences in social network use, a positive relationship with age, self-regulation and self-esteem, with peer interaction with offline contacts as the strongest predictor for social network use. These data suggest the role of this application as a mean to maintain contact with peers.

Relações entre suporte social, autorregulação e consumo de outras substâncias em adultos portugueses

Neste estudo, investigaram-se as relações entre suporte social percebido, auto-regulação e comportamentos de consumo de álcool, tabaco e outras substâncias psicoactivas. A amostra foi constituída por 340 participantes. O suporte social correlacionou-se favoravelmente com a auto-regulação, mas somente na vertente de satisfação com o apoio social é que se observou esta tendência de forma evidente. O número de figuras de apoio diferenciou-se significativamente com o uso de tabaco, o que sugere o âmbito afiliativo de algumas substâncias psicoactivas. Nesse sentido, o uso de tabaco pode estar associado a uma rede social mais ampla, mas não com a qualidade do suporte social.

In this study the relationships between perceived social support, self-regulation and consuming behaviors of tobacco and other psychoactive substances we investigated. The sample consisted of 340 adult participants. Social support correlated positively with self-regulation, but was solely in the aspect of satisfaction with social support that this trend was noted clearly. The number of support providers differed considerably with the use of tobacco, which suggests the affiliative scope of some psychoactive substances. Accordingly, the use of tobacco may be associated with a larger social network, but not with the quality of social support.

Comparación de tres programas de prevención escolar para reducir el consumo de cannabis, en función del tipo de aplicador / Comparison of three school-based prevention programs to reduce cannabis use as a function of provider type

El propósito general de este trabajo se encuadra en la línea de investigaciones que pretenden elevar los niveles de calidad de las estrategias preventivas en el consumo de cannabis, analizando la eficacia diferencial de los programas escolares al variar el perfil de las personas encargadas de implementarlos. Para ello, compara los resultados de la aplicación de tres programas de prevención escolar sobre el consumo de cannabis y las actitudes hacia su consumo, en función del tipo de aplicador empleado. La muestra se compuso de 280 alumnos de 1º de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria (ESO), distribuidos en siete condiciones experimentales: seis de tratamiento (grupos experimentales) y otra en lista de espera (grupo control). Los grupos experimentales estuvieron determinados por la existencia de dos factores: Tipo de programa (programa Construyendo Salud, programa Saluda, programa Barbacana y Grupo Control) y tipo de Agente de aplicación (profesor habitual o psicólogo externo). Los profesores obtienen mejores resultados cuando aplican los programas Barbacana y Saluda, y los psicólogos cuando aplican el programa Construyendo Salud, tanto en el consumo de cannabis como en las actitudes relacionadas. Los resultados hallados apuntan hacia un efecto de interacción entre el tipo de programa y el tipo de aplicador.

The aim of this work is fitted in line with research that intended to raise levels of quality of preventive strategies developed, analyzing the differential effectiveness of the school-based programs depending on the application agent. This study analyses the effects of three school-based prevention programs on cannabis use and attitudes towards drugs use as a function of provider type. Two hundred eighty students from the first year of Secondary Education were distributed among seven experimental conditions: six treatment conditions (experimental groups) and waiting list condition (control group). Experimental groups were determined by two factors: Type of program (Construyendo Salud program, Saluda program, Barbacana program and Control Group) and Type of provider (regular teacher or external psychologist). The teachers applying the Barbacana and Saluda programs and psychologists applying the Construyendo Salud program obtain better outcomes in both cannabis use and attitudes. The results point out an interaction effect between type of program and type of applicators.

Effectiveness of two prevention programs on alcohol use as a function of provider type / Eficacia de dos programas de prevención del consumo de alcohol en función del tipo de aplicador

Currently, it is still unclear how to translate effectively programs validated in research for use in real-world contexts. Among the efforts being made to identify strategies which optimize the application of these programs in everyday practice are tests of the differential effectiveness of the programs depending on the application agent. Method: this study analyses the effects of two programs on alcohol use and its variables as a function of provider type. Two hundred students from the first year of secondary education were distributed among five experimental conditions: four treatment conditions, in which the two programs were applied by teachers at the school or external psychologists, and a control condition. Results: the results suggest that, for both programs, teachers obtain better outcomes in alcohol use and concern about addiction. Conclusions: it is concluded that teachers are the ideal application agents in terms of efficiency, and we discuss the implications for research and preventive practice.

En la actualidad no es claro cómo traducir efectivamente los programas validados en la investigación para su aplicación en contextos reales. Entre los esfuerzos que se han realizado está el de identificar estrategias que optimicen la aplicación de estos programas en la práctica cotidiana que tienen diferente efectividad dependiendo del agente que los aplique. Metodología: este estudio analiza los efectos de dos programas sobre el consumo de alcohol y sus variables en función del aplicador. Doscientos estudiantes de primer año de secundaria se distribuyeron en cinco condiciones experimentales: cuatro en condición de tratamiento, en que se aplicaron dos programas aplicados por profesores de la escuela o psicólogos externos, y un grupo control. Resultados: los hallazgos sugieren que en los dos programas los profesores obtienen mejores resultados sobre el consumo de alcohol y la preocupación por la adicción. Conclusiones: se concluye que los profesores son los agentes aplicadores ideales en términos de eficiencia y discutimos las implicaciones que esto tiene para la práctica investigativa y práctica.

Predictive models of alcohol use based on attitudes and individual values.

Two predictive models are developed in this article: the first is designed to predict people's attitudes to alcoholic drinks, while the second sets out to predict the use of alcohol in relation to selected individual values. University students (N = 1,500) were recruited through stratified sampling based on sex and academic discipline. The questionnaire used obtained information on participants' alcohol use, attitudes and personal values. The results show that the attitudes model correctly classifies 76.3% of cases. Likewise, the model for level of alcohol use correctly classifies 82% of cases. According to our results, we can conclude that there are a series of individual values that influence drinking and attitudes to alcohol use, which therefore provides us with a potentially powerful instrument for developing preventive intervention programs.

El papel mediador de la auto-regulación en el consumo de tabaco y alcohol en población joven / The mediating role of self-regulation in cigarette smoking and alcohol use among young people

Esta investigación estudia el papel de la auto-regulación en los comportamientos de consumo, desde una perspectiva del desarrollo. Se explora la influencia del grupo de iguales y las competencias de los padres en la auto-regulación, en relación con el consumo de sustancias en jóvenes, mediante dos muestras de conveniencia, la primera compuesta por 478 jóvenes con edades comprendidas entre los 10 y los 20 años, siendo la mayoría del género femenino, y la segunda formada por 311 jóvenes, con edades comprendidas entre los 10 y los 17 años, siendo la mayoría del género masculino. Se utilizó un Cuestionario Sociodemográfico (ad hoc), un Cuestionario de consumo de tabaco y alcohol (ad hoc), el Inventario de Auto-regulación en la Adolescencia - versión reducida (IARA-2r), la Escala de Competencias de los Padres y el Cuestionario de Relación de Pareja. Los resultados confirman la existencia de una relación entre género y auto-regulación a largo plazo, más elevada en el género femenino. Los jóvenes con compañeros que fuman o consumen alcohol regularmente, presentan puntuaciones más bajas en las subescalas de auto-regulación a corto plazo. Se confirma una relación positiva moderada entre la auto-regulación a largo plazo y las competencias positivas de los padres (AU)

This research explores the role of self-regulation in substance-use behaviours from a developmental perspective. We explore the influence of the peer group and parental competencies on self-regulation, in relation to substance use in young people, by means of two convenience samples, the first comprising 478 participants aged 10 to 20, the majority of whom were female, and the second made up of 311 youngsters aged 10 to 17, the majority being male. The instruments used were a Sociodemographic Questionnaire (ad hoc), a Smoking and Alcohol Use Questionnaire (ad hoc), the Adolescent Self-Regulatory Inventory - brief version (ASRI-2r), the Parental Competencies Scale and the Peer Relations Questionnaire. The results confirm a relationship between gender and long-term self-regulation, whose level is higher among girls and young women. Those youngsters with friends who smoke or regularly drink alcohol score lower on the short-term self-regulation subscales. A moderate positive relationship is confirmed between long-term self-regulation and positive competencies in parents (AU)