Loneliness, affective disorders, suicidal ideation, and the use of psychoactive substances in a sample of adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study.

PROBLEM: The global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been challenging for adolescents. Indeed, with the closure of schools and social centers and reduction of extracurricular activities, increased social isolation has compounded difficulties in and with school performance, loneliness, and social networking. Increased risk of mental health problems, substance abuse, affective disorders, suicidal ideation, and suicide has been reported in adolescents. METHODS: This cross-sectional study assesses the association between loneliness, depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, the use of social networks, and school achievement in a sample of Italian adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study also explores emotional dysregulation through the association between affective disorders (depression and anxiety), substance use, and social networks. The sample comprises adolescents in the first and second grades of high school during the pandemic; participants received an email explaining the purpose of the e-research. Data were collected using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment, and the Loneliness Scale. FINDINGS: A total of 505 adolescents completed the web survey. Data revealed that students experienced difficulties with loneliness, problems with school achievement, and extracurricular activities. The mean scores for depression and anxiety were close to the borderline range. A total of 14.3% of adolescents intentionally harmed themselves or attempted suicide. CONCLUSIONS: This study raises concerns about the impacts of the pandemic on adolescents that require the attention of adult reference figures who deal with adolescents, such as parents, teachers, and healthcare professionals. Results indicate the necessity of providing early interventions aimed at the prevention of psychopathologies and the promotion of adolescent mental health due to the pandemic.

Prevalence and types of video gaming and gambling activities among adolescent public school students: findings from a cross-sectional study in Italy.

Adolescence is characterized by emotional instability and risk-taking behaviours that can lead to, among other things, an increased risk of developing pathological video-gaming and gambling habits. The aim of this Study is to assess the prevalence and type of video gaming and gambling habits in adolescent students attending Italian upper-secondary schools. The cross-sectional study was conducted via an online survey using validated questionnaires. The primary outcome measures were the prevalence of past-year video gaming and gambling activities. The sample consisted of 502 adolescent students from first- and second-grade secondary schools. A total of 40.8% of participants were video gamers, 4.8% were gamblers, 17.8% were both video gamers and gamblers, and the remaining 36.6% were not players. Among participants who reported video gaming activity (n = 294), 68.0% were classified as nonproblem gamers, 24.5% as at-risk gamers, and 7.5% as disordered video gamers. Among the participants who reported gambling activity (n = 113), 85.8% were not problematic gamblers, 8.9% were at-risk gamblers, and 5.3% were pathological gamblers. Only 0.2% of all subjects met the criteria for both pathological gambling and pathological video game use. The findings indicate that video gaming and gambling are common leisure times among adolescent students. However, a small but significant minority of these adolescents met the criteria for either severe problem gaming or gambling or both.

Investigating Adolescents' Video Gaming and Gambling Activities, and Their Relationship With Behavioral, Emotional, and Social Difficulties: Protocol for a Multi-Informant Study.

BACKGROUND: Growing empirical evidence suggests that adolescents have a relatively greater propensity to develop problematic video gaming or gambling habits. OBJECTIVE: The main objectives of this study are to estimate the prevalence of potential pathological gambling and video game use among adolescent students and to evaluate their risk factors. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional multi-informant study based on an online survey. It will include a sample of adolescents attending secondary schools located in Brescia, northern Italy, their schoolteachers, and parents. The survey includes extensive data on adolescents' (1) demographic, social, economic, and environmental characteristics; (2) behavioral, emotional, and social problems and adaptive functioning; (3) emotional and social loneliness; (4) perception of the reasons to use social networks; (5) video game habits and pathological use of video gaming; and (6) gambling behaviors. RESULTS: This protocol was approved by the Institutional Ethics Board of the Spedali Civili of Brescia (Italy). We expect to collect data from 793 or more adolescent students, as determined by our sample size calculation. CONCLUSIONS: This multisite project will make a substantial contribution to (1) the implementation of a system for identifying pathological gambling and pathological video game use among adolescents, allowing for interventions aimed at improving adolescents' financial, emotional, and social well-being; and (2) the identification of distinct profiles of gamblers and pathological video gamers that will contribute to setting up effective targeted prevention measures. Understanding the causes and impact of gambling and pathological video gaming on adolescents is a public health issue. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/33376.