Pathological gamblers and a non-psychiatric control group taking gender differences into account.

The current study aimed to identify personality traits, emotional states and adjustment variables in a sample of pathological gamblers as compared to a non-gambling control group taking gender differences into account. The sample for this study consisted of 206 subjects (103 pathological gamblers and 103 non-psychiatric subjects from the general population matched for age and gender). Pathological gamblers had a lower educational level and a family history of alcohol abuse higher than non-gamblers. In turn, female gamblers were affected by unemployment and a lower socioeconomic status more often than female non-gamblers. Pathological gamblers were more anxious and impulsive and suffered from a poorer self-esteem than non-gamblers. Likewise, pathological gamblers had a greater history of other Axis I psychiatric disorders and were more often affected by anxiety and depression symptoms and showed a more problematic adjustment to everyday life than non-gamblers. Alcohol abuse was not higher in pathological gamblers than in non-gamblers, but, when gender was taken into account, male gamblers were more affected by alcohol abuse than male non-gamblers. Importantly 68.6% of female gamblers versus 9.8% of control group women reported being victims of intimate partner violence. These findings can be used to specifically inform prevention and intervention efforts.

Factores de vulnerabilidad y de protección del impacto emocional en mujeres adultas víctimas de agresiones sexuales / Risk and protective factors in the emotional impact of adult female victims of sexual aggression

El objetivo de este estudio fue describir las reacciones psicopatológicas de las víctimas según las circunstancias de la agresión sexual, la historia previa y el apoyo familiar/social. La muestra constó de 269 mujeres adultas víctimas de una agresión sexual en la infancia o en la vida adulta. Se evaluaron las reacciones postraumáticas, la sintomatología ansioso-depresiva, la autoestima, las conductas sexuales y el funcionamiento cotidiano. Los resultados mostraron una alta prevalencia de malestar emocional (63,6%), de baja autoestima (59,7%), de TEPT (44,5%), de sentimientos de culpa (48,3%) y de evitación sexual (38,9%), así como problemas de adaptación. La gravedad de la sintomatología estaba relacionada con las circunstancias de la agresión sexual, tales como la penetración vaginal/anal o las heridas provocadas, la historia de victimización, los sucesos estresantes recientes y la falta de apoyo socio-familiar. Sin embargo, las conductas de evitación sexual no estaban relacionadas con circunstancias específicas de la agresión sexual.

The aim of this paper was to describe the psychopathological reactions of the victims according to the circumstances surrounding sexual aggression, the previous clinical record, and the role of family/social support. The sample consisted of269 adult female victims who suffered any kind of sexual aggression either in childhood or in adult life. Participants were assessed with the PTSD Severity Scale, the STAI, the BDI, the Self-Esteem Scale and the Misadjustment Scale. The results showed a high prevalence of emotional trouble (63.6%), low self-esteem (59.7%), PTSD (44.5), guilt feelings (48.3%), sexual avoidance (38.9%), as well as a poor adaptation to daily life activities. The severity of emotional problems was related to the circumstances of sexual aggression, such as vaginal/anal penetration or physical injuries, the history of victimization, the recent stressful life events and the lack of family/social support. However sexual avoidance behaviors were not associated with circumstances of sexual aggression.

Clinical gender differences among adult pathological gamblers seeking treatment.

This study aimed to examine the gender-related differences in demographics, gambling measures, psychological functioning, and motivation for therapy in an outpatient sample of pathological gamblers seeking treatment. Participants in this multisite study included 103 adult outpatients (51 women and 52 men) meeting current DSM-IV-TR criteria for PG. Logistic regression was used to examine if gender was related together to categorical and continuous independent variables. Female gamblers were older than men and more likely to be divorced or widowed and to have a lower annual income. Women became more dependent on bingo and men on slot machines. Gambling motivation and the course of illness for both sexes were also different. Female gamblers were more anxious and with a poorer self-esteem than male gamblers and more affected by depressive symptoms; in turn, men were more impulsive and higher sensation seekers than women and more affected by drug/alcohol abuse. The 68.6% of female gamblers reported being victims of intimate partner violence. There were no gender differences about the motivation for treatment. Future research should examine gambling behaviors and psychological functioning and suggest treatment approaches to address specific goals according to these gender-related differences.

[Severe intimate partner violence risk prediction scale-revised]. / Escala de Predicción del Riesgo de Violencia Grave contra la pareja--Revisada--(EPV-R).

The aim of this study was to describe the psychometric properties of the Severe Intimate Partner Violence Risk Prediction Scale and to revise it in order to ponderate the 20 items according to their discriminant capacity and to solve the missing item problem. The sample for this study consisted of 450 male batterers who were reported to the police station. The victims were classified as high-risk (18.2%), moderate-risk (45.8%) and low-risk (36%), depending on the cutoff scores in the original scale. Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=.72) and interrater reliability (r=.73) were acceptable. The point biserial correlation coefficient between each item and the corrected total score of the 20-item scale was calculated to determine the most discriminative items, which were associated with the context of intimate partner violence in the last month, with the male batterer's profile and with the victim's vulnerability. A revised scale (EPV-R) with new cutoff scores and indications on how to deal with the missing items were proposed in accordance with these results. This easy-to-use tool appears to be suitable to the requirements of criminal justice professionals and is intended for use in safety planning. Implications of these results for further research are discussed.

[Addiction to new technologies and to online social networking in young people: A new challenge]. / Adicción a las nuevas tecnologías y a las redes sociales en jóvenes: un nuevo reto.

The Internet and virtual social networks are new technologies that have had most impact on young people and have provided many benefits to their users. However, some people become obsessed with the Internet, are unable to control their use of it, and may put their work and relationships in jeopardy. This paper addresses the issue of the maladaptive use of these technologies. Internet use and abuse are related to psychosocial variables, such as psychological vulnerability, life stress and family and social support. There are some specific risk factors for abuse of virtual social networks among young people. Certain alarm signs appear before a hobby becomes an addiction. The concept of 'Internet addiction' has been proposed as an explanation for uncontrollable and harmful use of this technology. Symptoms of excessive Internet use can be identified with the criteria used to diagnose other chemical or non-chemical addictions. Prevention strategies in both home and school settings should be implemented on the basis of behavioral risk factors and demographic characteristics. The goal of treatment for this type of addiction, unlike the case of other addictions, cannot be total abstinence, but rather controlled use. The psychological treatment of choice appears to be stimulus control and gradual exposure to Internet, followed by a cognitive-behavioral intervention in relapse prevention. There is a need for more information about young Internet abusers and about the most appropriate programs for treating them. More research is required on the enhancement of motivation for treatment and the types of brief intervention available in relation to the problematic use of Internet among young people. The implications of the present review for clinical practice and possible future research directions in this field are discussed, as well as the problems as yet unsolved.

Assessing risk markers in intimate partner femicide and severe violence: a new assessment instrument.

The aim of this study is to develop a scale to predict intimate partner femicide and severe violence. The sample consists of 1,081 batterer men who were reported to the police station. First, the most significant differences between the severe violence group (n = 269) and the less severe violence group (n = 812) in sociodemographic variables are determined. Both aggressors and victims of the severe violence group have a higher rate of immigration. Second, the proposed 20-item scale is derived from a larger 58-item scale, where only the most discriminative items between severe and nonsevere intimate partner violence are taken into account. Psychometric properties of reliability and validity are rather good. Cutoff scores have been proposed according to sensitivity and specificity. This easy-to-use tool appears to be suitable to the requirements of criminal justice professionals and is intended for use in safety planning. Implications of these results for further research are discussed.

[Responsible gambling: is it an alternative for prevention and treatment of pathological gambling?]. / Juego responsable: ¿una alternativa para la prevencion y el tratamiento de la ludopatia?

This paper deals with the new development of controlled gambling embedded in a harm-reduction context as a viable solution both for primary prevention at school and for treatment of some kinds of problematic gamblers. Pathological gambling significantly improves with psychological therapies, such as stimulus control and in vivo exposure with response prevention or cognitive interventions. In some cases psychopharmacological therapy may complement the benefits of treatment for pathological gambling when patients have comorbid depression or high impulsivity. However, in this mental disorder the goal of treatment (total abstinence or controlled gambling) is currently a controversial issue. Controlled gambling may be a therapeutic option for young gamblers or patients without severe dependence. Furthermore, controlled gambling may be a relevant issue for health education in schools, with a view to teaching teenagers how to cope with actual and virtual exposure to gambling. Likewise, the gambling industry and governments are involved in harm minimization initiatives. Thus, it is necessary to coordinate a program of research that includes the industry, science, and public representatives, based on cooperative research that will permit the introduction of controlled gambling within a global strategic framework. We discuss the relevance of this review for clinical practice and for future research, as well as the unsolved problems in this field.