Impact of Internet gambling on problem gambling among adolescents in Italy: Findings from a large-scale nationally representative survey

Aims: The primary aim of the present study was to understand the impact of online gambling on gambling problems in a large-scale nationally representative sample of Italian youth, and to identify and then further examine a subgroup of online gamblers who reported higher rates of gambling problems. Design: Data from the ESPAD®Italia2013 (European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs) Study were used for analyses of adolescent Internet gambling. Setting: Self-administered questionnaires were completed by a representative sample of high school students, aged 15–19 years. Participants: A total of 14,778 adolescent students. Measurements: Respondents’ problem gambling severity; gambling behavior (participation in eight different gambling activities, the number of gambling occasions and the number of online gambling occasions, monthly gambling expenditure); Socio-demographics (e.g., family structure and financial status); and control variables were measured individually (i.e., use of the Internet for leisure activities and playing video games). Findings: Rates of problem gambling were five times higher among online gamblers than non-online gamblers. In addition, factors that increased the risk of becoming a problem online gambler included living with non-birth parents, having a higher perception of financial family status, being more involved with gambling, and the medium preferences of remote gamblers (e.g., Internet cafes, digital television, and video game console). Conclusions: The online gambling environment may pose significantly greater risk to vulnerable players. Family characteristics and contextual elements concerning youth Internet gambling (e.g., remote mediums) may play a key role in explaining problem online gambling among adolescents

Serving High-Risk Youth in Context: Perspectives from Hong Kong

Background: High-risk youth are often defined in occupational therapy terminology as adolescents and young adults who experience personal, contextual, or environmental barriers to effective participation in healthy, age-appropriate occupations. Without assistance for participation, these youth may acquiesce to daily routines of unhealthy risk-taking or isolation, failing to achieve developmental milestones needed for successful transition to adulthood. There are known therapeutic services targeting this population, but occupational therapy involvements have been sparsely documented. Method: Having been affiliated with a community-based occupational therapy program serving high-risk youth for many years in the US, the principal investigator of the study used a sabbatical opportunity to explore services provided to high-risk youth in Hong Kong (HK). This paper reports preliminary findings obtained from an exploratory study of analyzing transcripts of 13 one-on-one interviews with service providers in HK. Results: Two major themes are discussed in this paper: the prevalent behavioral risks among high-risk youth as perceived by the service providers and the intervention approaches used by the service providers with the high-risk youth population in HK. Conclusion: Reflecting on the preliminary outcome of the study, the authors suggest that occupational therapy may contribute to mitigating youths’ risk factors through ecological occupational engagement

Educating and motivating adolescents who are deaf or hard of hearing with drug and alcohol addiction: Components of a curriculum that links adolescents to appropriate treatment

This paper highlights the components necessary for a drug and alcohol addiction curricula to educate, motivate, and link adolescents who are deaf or hard of hearing using oral communication to appropriate treatment

Effectiveness Of “Pik-r” Program AS An Extracurricular For High/vocational School Students In Preventing Negative Behaviors Of Adolescents

PIK-R (Pusat Informasi Konseling Remaja) as one of the programs for adolescents is expected to be able to contribute positively in developing positive behavior and suppress the potential for negative adolescent behavior. This study aims to analyze the positive and negative behavior of high/vocational school students and their relation to knowledge, participation, and effectiveness of the PIK-R program at school. This study used a cross sectional study design involving 687 students in selected public and private high/vocational schools in Bekasi City, Indonesia. Structured questionnaire is used to measure the students' characteristics, the students' negative behavior, and the effectiveness of the PIK-R program. The study found that only 54.88% of students were aware of the PIK-R program and only 8.11% attended the program. Even so, the results of different tests show that students who take part in the PIK-R program show significantly lower negative behaviors, especially in pornography, online games, and smoking addiction. In addition, it was also found that male students tended to have higher negative behavior than female students. The results of multiple linear regression also show the real effect of the PIK-R program in suppressing the negative behaviors of adolescents

Internet Gambling: An Overview of Psychosocial Impacts

Technological innovation has always played a role in the development of gambling behaviour, primarily through providing new market opportunities. Early prevalence studies of Internet gambling in the UK, Canada and the US have shown that Internet gambling is not a cause for concern at present However, this seems likely to change as more people start to use the Internet for leisure activities. After a brief overview of gambling technologies and deregulation issues, this paper examines the impact of technology on gambling by highlighting salient factors in the rise of Internet gambling (i.e., accessibility, affordability, anonymity, convenience, escape immersion/dissociation, disinhibition, event frequency, asociability, interactivity, and simulation). The paper also overviews some of the main social impacts surrounding Internet gambling, such as protection of the vulnerable, Internet gambling in the workplace, electronic cash, and unscrupulous operators. Recommendations for Internet gambling operators are also provided

Exploring the Potential of the Web-Based Virtual World of Second Life to Improve Substance Abuse Treatment Outcomes

Provides an overview of Second Life, an Internet-based virtual world, and summarizes discussions among addiction recovery experts about integrating virtual reality into behavioral treatment as a way to teach patients new responses to real environments

The Influence of Classical Counseling, BMB3 Strategy, Education In Understanding of Addiction, Development of Structured Positive Behavior on The Dangers of Behavioral Addiction and Napsa

Classical counseling services need to be provided to every student, to prevent them from the dangers of behavioral and napsa. The purpose of this study was to reveal the effect of classical counseling, BMB3 strategies, education on understanding the dangers of addiction, fostering structured positive behavior, on the prevention of the dangers of behavioral and napsa, using quantitative research methods. The study population was all students of SMP Bunga Mawar Gunungsitoli, and the sample was drawn by purposive sampling, namely six study groups of class VII students of 210 people. The research instrument used to collect data was a closed questionnaire, which was circulated to a number of respondents as a data source. Data were analyzed using inferential statistics, multiple linear regression analysis, to answer research questions according to the proposed hypothesis. The results of the study concluded that classical counseling services, BMB3 strategies, education on understanding the dangers of addiction, fostering structured positive behavior, jointly and partially provide a very large influence and contribution to preventing the dangers of behavioral and napsa. If there is an increase in the provision of classical counseling services, the application of the BMB3 strategy in services, education on understanding the dangers of addiction, and fostering positive behavior, the prevention of the dangers of behavioral and napsa will also increase

Imaginary relish and exquisite torture: The elaborated intrusion theory of desire

The authors argue that human desire involves conscious cognition that has strong affective connotation and is potentially involved in the determination of appetitive behavior rather than being epiphenomenal to it. Intrusive thoughts about appetitive targets are triggered automatically by external or physiological cues and by cognitive associates. When intrusions elicit significant pleasure or relief, cognitive elaboration usually ensues. Elaboration competes with concurrent cognitive tasks through retrieval of target-related information and its retention in working memory. Sensory images are especially important products of intrusion and elaboration because they simulate the sensory and emotional qualities of target acquisition. Desire images are momentarily rewarding but amplify awareness of somatic and emotional deficits. Effects of desires on behavior are moderated by competing incentives, target availability, and skills. The theory provides a coherent account of existing data and suggests new directions for research and treatment

Program: The 15th International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

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