Tell me who your friends are?! The mediating role of friends' use in cannabis abuse.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the relationship between age at onset of cannabis use and cannabis abuse in a sample of Portuguese cannabis users, testing the mediating role of the number of friends using cannabis and comparing these relationships between male and female subsets. METHOD: A sample of 529 Portuguese cannabis users comprising 276 males and 244 females aged from 14 to 21 years completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Cannabis Abuse Screening Test (CAST), and answered four questions related to cannabis use. Data were analyzed using the PROCESS macro in SPSS version 26.0. RESULTS: Age at onset of cannabis use was negatively related to the number of friends using cannabis, while the number of friends using cannabis had a positive relationship with cannabis abuse. As predicted, the number of friends using cannabis seems to have a mediating role in the relationship between cannabis onset age use and cannabis abuse, since the indirect effect was found to be significant. The pattern of the relationships among the variables observed was found to be similar for both male and female subsets of the sample. However, males reported higher cannabis abuse than females. CONCLUSION: The results highlight the mediating role of friends' use of cannabis in the relationship between age at onset of cannabis use and users' abuse. These results highlight the importance of early intervention in cannabis use. In particular, the pattern of the relationships observed among the studied variables emphasizes the need to monitor and conduct peer training interventions or interventions to promote of social skills.

Tell me who your friends are?! The mediating role of friends' use in cannabis abuse

Abstract Objectives To evaluate the relationship between age at onset of cannabis use and cannabis abuse in a sample of Portuguese cannabis users, testing the mediating role of the number of friends using cannabis and comparing these relationships between male and female subsets. Method A sample of 529 Portuguese cannabis users comprising 276 males and 244 females aged from 14 to 21 years completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Cannabis Abuse Screening Test (CAST), and answered four questions related to cannabis use. Data were analyzed using the PROCESS macro in SPSS version 26.0. Results Age at onset of cannabis use was negatively related to the number of friends using cannabis, while the number of friends using cannabis had a positive relationship with cannabis abuse. As predicted, the number of friends using cannabis seems to have a mediating role in the relationship between cannabis onset age use and cannabis abuse, since the indirect effect was found to be significant. The pattern of the relationships among the variables observed was found to be similar for both male and female subsets of the sample. However, males reported higher cannabis abuse than females. Conclusion The results highlight the mediating role of friends' use of cannabis in the relationship between age at onset of cannabis use and users' abuse. These results highlight the importance of early intervention in cannabis use. In particular, the pattern of the relationships observed among the studied variables emphasizes the need to monitor and conduct peer training interventions or interventions to promote of social skills.

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.

Consumo de alcohol y factores intervinientes en estudiantes universitarios / Alcohol consumption and intervening factors observed in university students

Objetivo: dar cuenta de algunos elementos intervinientes en la conducta de beber, consumo de riesgo y la dependencia del alcohol, en un grupo poblacional de la ciudad de Medellín, Colombia. Métodos: estudio multimétodo de corte transversal en 538 estudiantes universitarios. Se aplicaron varios instrumentos previamente validados por expertos, entre ellos, el test de identificación de los trastornos debidos al consumo de alcohol, el cuestionario acerca de las expectativas hacia el alcohol y el cuestionario de creencias acerca del consumo de alcohol. Los datos se recopilaron entre marzo y junio de 2010. Para el análisis de correlaciones entre variables cualitativas se utilizó la prueba ji-cuadrada de independencia, la prueba exacta de Fisher y la prueba Z, para comparar las proporciones. En todos las ocasiones se trabajó con p £ 0,05. Resultados: del total de estudiantes entrevistados el 82,3 % había consumido alcohol en algún momento de su vida, el 66,0 %, no tenían problemas con el consumo de esta sustancia, 21,6 % tenían consumo perjudicial y el 12,5 % presentaban ya dependencia, según el test de identificación de los trastornos debidos al consumo de alcohol. Conclusiones: las expectativas, creencias, la publicidad, las costumbres familiares y sociales, tienen una relación favorable para el consumo de alcohol en estudiantes universitarios en Medellín, Colombia.

Objective: to present some intervening factors in drinking behavior, risky consumption and alcohol-dependence found in a population group of Medellin city in Colombia. Methods: cross-sectional multi-method study of 538 university students. Several expert-validated instruments were applied and through Rash's method, such as a test to identify alcohol consumption-related disorders, an alcohol expectancy questionnaire, expectancies, a questionnaire of beliefs on alcohol consumption and a questionnaire on rites, social and family traditions. Data were collected from March to June 2010. For the correlation analysis among the qualitative variables, Chi-square test of independence, Fisher's exact test and Z test were used to compare proportions. The value used was p £ 0.05. Results: out of the total number of students who were interviewed, 82.3 % had taken alcohol at some time of their lifetime, 66 % had no problems with alcohol consumption, 21.6 % showed harmful consumption and 12.5 were already alcohol-dependent, according to the test of identification of alcohol consumption-related disorders. Conclusions: expectancies, beliefs, advertising, family and social customs have favorable association with the alcohol consumption in university students in Medellin, Colombia.

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)

[Use and abuse of the Internet in university students]. / Uso y abuso de Internet en jovenes universitarios.

AIM: To adapt a questionnaire for assessing the use and abuse of Internet, as well as the relationship between this resource and psychosocial profile in a group of university students. METHOD: 391 students filled out the questionnaires; 26.1% were men and 73.9% were women, with a mean age of 19.59 years (DT = +/- 2.83; Range: 18-47 years). We used a sociodemographic questionnaire, Social skills questionnaire (Caballo, 1993, EMES-C and EMES-M), Personality questionnaire (E.P.I., Eysenck and Eysenck, 1982), and an Internet and Use and Abuse of Internet questionnaire (adapted from Bruner, 1997, Suler, 1996 and Young, 1996a, Garcia del Castillo y Terol, 2007). RESULTS: 73.91 % of students connect for an average of 84.81 minutes (DT = +/- 2.05) per week. Except for one subscale of the Internet use and abuse questionnaire, all the subscales showed reliability coefficients > or = . 70 and mean scores lower than the average of the score range. Internet use and abuse showed a relationship with psychosocial variables such as cognitive social skills (r =.14; p =.016) and neuroticism (r =.-13, p =.01).