A behavioral approach to adolescent cannabis use: Accounting for nondeliberative, developmental, and temperamental factors

Most behavioral models examine adolescent health risk behaviors using a reflective, deliberate social–psychological framework. In this study, adolescent cannabis use is investigated via an expanded social–psychological model of behavioral decision-making: the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). The aim was to examine the contribution of nondeliberative (impulsivity), developmental (perceived parenting styles), and temperamental (moral norms, mental health, delinquency) factors in adolescent cannabis use. A longitudinal questionnaire with baseline and follow-up measurement (14-day interval) was used. Participants were Sixth Form College students (n = 199) aged 16–18 (mean age = 16.44, SD = −0.55). At baseline (T1), demographics, TPB variables, and additional socio-psychological variables were measured. Fourteen days later (T2) self-reported cannabis use was measured. Logistic regression analyses indicated that the impulsivity subcomponent of lack of premeditation and moral norms predicted self-reported cannabis use behavior. Perceived parental rejection predicted cannabis use intentions. Adolescent cannabis use can be better understood through the expanding of behavioral models to account for nondeliberative, developmental, and temperamental factors. Drug education interventions should aim at developing self-instruction training programs teaching adolescents effortful thinking while family-based interventions should focus on encouraging open parent–adolescent communication which has shown to influence adolescents’ cannabis use

RECOVEU Policy and Practice Review: Work Package 3 - Establishing context. Grundtvig Multilateral - EU Lifelong Learning Programme. Project Number: 538955-LLP-1-2013-1-UK-GRUNDTVIG-GMP

A review of the policy relating to drug addiction and treatment in the UK, Ireland, Cyprus, Romania and Italy. This document provides the contextual background for the RECOVEU project : A participative approach to curriculum development for adults in addiction recovery across the European Union. The project has brought together partners from the UK, Ireland, Cyprus, Romania and Italy with the aim of developing access to learning resources for people in addiction recover. The review draws on existing data (for example, from the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction) and the experiential knowledge of the five partner organisations working in the field of addiction

Work Package 4 - Focus Group Overview. Grundtvig Multilateral - EU Lifelong Learning Programme. Project Number: 538955-LLP-1-2013-1-UK-GRUNDTVIG-GMP

During the first year of the RECOVEU project, the Consortium collected data regarding the policy and practice in the field of addiction treatment, education and social reintegration in all five countries.One of the major issues confronting policy makers and practitioners in the field of addiction and recovery is the lack of specific data concerning the access of adults in recovery to learning resources that enable them to recover and re‐integrate into society. Consulting with both adults in recovery and service providers will support awareness of the issues prevalent in recovering addicts’ lives and lead to the development of adult education which is responsive to the specific barriers this may raise. This will ensure that the adult education curriculum developed during the project will meet the needs of people in recovery, thereby increasing the potential for successful engagement and retention. Work Package 4 – Focus Group Phase has supported an understanding of the part played by adult education in an individual’s recovery process and provides a way in which people in recovery could be supported to engage in adult education opportunities. Each of the five partners delivered three to five focus groups, either with service users or service providers. The total number of participants was 92 (44 service users and 48 service providers), with a total number of 20 groups delivered across all partners. This review outlines the key findings from these focus groups

Physician-patient communication: a qualitative study of perceptions, barriers, and needs in four European member states

Background: Good physician-patient communication is an important aspect of patient-centered care and contributes to positive health outcomes, however, there is a lack of standard European Union (EU) communication training policies for physicians. This study explores the barriers to good communication for both physicians and patients across four EU countries as part of the EU-funded project, Health Communication Training for Health Professionals–H-COM. Method: Focus groups were conducted with 31 patients and 38 physicians from Germany, Greece, Spain, and Cyprus. Two separate discussion guides were constructed for each target group around three themes: perceptions of, barriers to, and needs for health communication. Thematic analysis was used. Results: Commonalities and differences between countries and target groups were identified, with participants discussing attitudinal, emotional, educational, and systemic barriers to good communication. Participants indicated a significant gap in health communication knowledge, skills, and training for physicians, with regional differences. Conclusion: The results imply that there is a need for EU-wide communication training for physicians that would be best addressed by common themes and tailoring to specific regional differences. The results also imply that effective training should encompass a blend of theory and practical methods, and should be delivered via an e-learning platform for maximum accessibility. Training programs that adhere to these suggestions can begin to address the gaps in patient-centered care in the EU