Comparison of the Development and Functioning of Addiction Treatment Systems in Croatia

The article describes the historical development of treatment systems related to the use of alcohol, drugs and pathological gambling in the Republic of Croatia. The specifics of the functioning of each system, the common points of contact, the mutual advantages and disadvantages, as well as the challenges posed by the further development of the treatment system are outlined

The Role of Social Integration in the Clubs of Treated Alcoholics in Croatia

Social integration and its role on a population’s general health is an oft-debated concept; primarily through the sub-field of social epidemiology. This research takes the concept and correlates it with some aspects of physical and psychological well-being of the individual. However, there is a lack of the research discussing the roll of social integration in the addiction rehabilitation, especially in regard to alcoholism treatment. With that in mind, the main goal of this article is to discuss and identify the connection between the perception of social integration and the process of alcohol addiction treatment in the Clubs of Treated Alcoholics in Republic of Croatia. A discussion about the following subject is based on the theoretical redefinition of the Parsons Theory of a Sick Role. A synthesis of the empirical and theoretical level of analysis is constructed through the research, which has been conducted on the case of Clubs of Treated Alcoholics in Republic of Croatia. Through the convenience sampling method, there were 255 participants. Results have been showing a statistically significant connection between the sense of belonging in the rehabilitation group and the perception of the treatment success. Participants of the study who were more integrated in the rehabilitation group have found their treatment more successful

COGNITIVE DISTORTIONS OF PATIENTS IN THE GAMBLING ADDICTS\u27 CLUB - DIFFERENCES WITH REGARD TO AGE AND LENGTH OF TREATMENT

Background: Cognitive processes are important factors in the aetiology of pathological gambling and they are always important aspect of all gambling interventions. Among other things, the gamblers’ decision making process and persistence in gambling is under the influence of their perception of the importance of knowledge/skills versus luck in different gambling activities. In this study, we examine cognitive distortions of pathological gamblers and their perceptions on the significance of luck versus knowledge/skills in different games of chance. Effects of age and length of treatment are also examined. Subjects and methods: A total of 65 pathological gamblers at the gambling addicts’ club in Zagreb were included in the study. Cognitive distortions were measured using a modified version of the Gambling related cognitive distortions scale (Ricijaš et al. 2011). Participant thoughts on the role of luck versus knowledge/skills in games of chance were measured with a questionnaire especially designed for this study. All instruments were self-assessment questionnaires and anonymously filled out during a group sessions. Results: In general, results showed moderate cognitive distortions in terms of gambling beliefs, but significant perception of the importance of knowledge/skills for some games, especially sports betting and card games. Younger patients and patients in treatment for longer period have lower illusion of control. Length of treatment also seem to effect gambling-related superstition beliefs and incorrect understanding of probability, as well as importance of knowledge/skills for success in sports betting and card games. Conclusions: The results of this study lead to the indirect conclusion that length of treatment is a positive factor, which likely influences gamblers’ cognitive distortions. This conclusion certainly requires additional examination using longitudinal studies, which would provide a better overview of whether these differences are in fact due to the length of treatment and also to confirm its value for future abstinence from gambling activities

Fenomenologija etiketiziranja alkoholizma: internalizacija etikete u liječenih alkoholičara u Hrvatskoj

This research paper originates from the phenomenological analysis of labelling alcoholism and its individual internalization. Using a qualitative method of focus groups, the meaning and experience of an al-coholic label in Croatia was researched. Using a model of the response to treatment, it can be discussed how the significance of the label is realized in different contextual links. In the model, the relationship between personal choice and an encouraging environment, personal choice and a conformist environment and a lack of personal choice with a negative prefix on the surrounding factors are discussed. The basic starting point of the research paper lies in the hypotheses of the existence of par excellance reality, the reality of everyday life and the forms that are tied to it. However, an individual situationally estimates the significance of those forms and characteristically self-internalizes them. Even though it has a phenomenological analysis in its roots, the research paper characterises the duality of structure and action regarding the label of alcoholism. The sup-posed reality of everyday life and its relationship with alcoholism are not enough for social functionality of the alcoholic label. Subjectification, that is, internalization of the label is needed in order to achieve purpose and meaning.Ovaj istraživački rad potječe iz fenomenološke analize etiketiranja alkoholizma i njegove individualne internalizacije. Koristeći kvalitativnu metodu fokus grupa, istraženo je značenje i iskustvo etikete alkoholičara u Hrvatskoj. Koristeći model odgovora na liječenje, može se raspravljati o tome kako se značaj etikete ost-varuje u različitim kontekstualnim poveznicama. U modelu se raspravlja o odnosu između osobnog izbora i ohrabrujućeg okruženja, osobnog izbora i prilagodljivog okruženja i nedostatka osobnog izbora s negativnim prefiksom na okolišne čimbenike. Osnovna polazna točka ovog rada leži u hipotezama postojanja par excel-lance stvarnosti, stvarnosti svakodnevnog života i oblika stvarnosti koji su vezani uz njega. Međutim, poje-dinac situacijski procjenjuje značaj tih obrazaca i karakteristično ih internalizira. Iako ima fenomenološku analizu u svojem korijenu, ovaj rad karakterizira dualnost strukture i djelovanja u vezi s etiketom alkoholizma. Pretpostavljena realnost svakodnevnog života i njezin odnos s alkoholizmom nisu dovoljni za društvenu funk-cionalnost etikete alkoholičara. Subjektivizacija, odnosno, internalizacija etikete potrebna je kako bi se posti-gla svrha i značenje

GAMBLING HABITS AMONG VIDEO GAME PLAYERS

Introduction: Gambling is a legal and socially accepted recreational activity that can progress into a serious public health problem. The prevalence of gambling is higher among men of younger age and lower economic status, and older divorced men. There are many similarities between playing video games and gambling that the industry encourages by implementing the elements gambling into video games, and the elements of video games in gambling, but despite the similarities, in problem use we recognize two separate behavioral disorders. Methods and participants: The research was conducted on an intentional and judgmental sample of adolescents and young adults who play video games. A questionnaire containing questions on sociodemographic characteristics, video game playing and gambling habits, and the SOGS-RA was used to assess the gambling risk. Results: Most of the participants gamble very rarely or not at all, but 5.1% of the participants gamble every day. Almost all of the participants play several types of games of chance, with lottery games, sports betting and games on electronic devices leading the way. Pronounced problems with gambling were recognized in 28.3% of the research participants. Discussion: The lifetime prevalence of gambling in this research is similar to the results of other research conducted among video game players, although the results of all research in this area are not homogeneous. When comparing the results of gambling among video game players and the general population, the prevalence of gambling among video game players is significantly higher than in the general population. Conclusion: Adolescent and young adult video game players play more games of chance, and prefer gambling games that have a higher addictive potential. Considering the age, easy accessibility and the difficult recognition of the development of problem gambling, it is important to focus preventive activities on the youngest age group

GAMBLING HABITS AMONG VIDEO GAME PLAYERS

Introduction: Gambling is a legal and socially accepted recreational activity that can progress into a serious public health problem. The prevalence of gambling is higher among men of younger age and lower economic status, and older divorced men. There are many similarities between playing video games and gambling that the industry encourages by implementing the elements gambling into video games, and the elements of video games in gambling, but despite the similarities, in problem use we recognize two separate behavioral disorders. Methods and participants: The research was conducted on an intentional and judgmental sample of adolescents and young adults who play video games. A questionnaire containing questions on sociodemographic characteristics, video game playing and gambling habits, and the SOGS-RA was used to assess the gambling risk. Results: Most of the participants gamble very rarely or not at all, but 5.1% of the participants gamble every day. Almost all of the participants play several types of games of chance, with lottery games, sports betting and games on electronic devices leading the way. Pronounced problems with gambling were recognized in 28.3% of the research participants. Discussion: The lifetime prevalence of gambling in this research is similar to the results of other research conducted among video game players, although the results of all research in this area are not homogeneous. When comparing the results of gambling among video game players and the general population, the prevalence of gambling among video game players is significantly higher than in the general population. Conclusion: Adolescent and young adult video game players play more games of chance, and prefer gambling games that have a higher addictive potential. Considering the age, easy accessibility and the difficult recognition of the development of problem gambling, it is important to focus preventive activities on the youngest age group

Pseudocieza: prikaz slučaja

Pseudocyesis is a disorder that is rarely encountered in psychiatric practice. It is characterized by numerous signs and symptoms of pregnancy, except for confirmation of the presence of a fetus. The aim of this article is to present a patient with pseudocyesis. A 24-year-old woman, married, childless, was admitted to gynecology emergency clinic for metrorrhagia, after delivery that had allegedly occurred earlier that day. Gynecologic examination showed neither pregnancy nor postpartum state, therefore consultant psychiatrist was included in patient examination. Upon interview with the patient and her family, and in agreement with gynecologists, the diagnosis of pseudocyesis (undifferentiated somatoform disorder, according to ICD 10 criteria) was made, and the patient who was acutely restless, tearful, occasionally agitated, exhibiting referential ideas, was hospitalized at psychiatry department for treatment. The need of team work of gynecologists and psychiatrists in the treatment of patients suffering from pseudocyesis is emphasized.Pseudocieza je danas rijetko stanje koje se susreće u psihijatrijskoj praksi, a obilježeno je brojnim znakovima i simptomima trudnoće osim potvrde o prisutnosti ploda. Cilj ovoga rada je prikazati slučaj bolesnice s pseudociezom. Bolesnica u dobi od 24 godine, udana, bez djece, primljena je u hitnu ginekološku ambulantu zbog metroragije, navodno nakon obavljenog poroda toga dana. Ginekološkim se pregledom nije utvrdilo postojanje eventualne trudnoće ili stanja nakon poroda, pa je konzilijarno pozvan psihijatar. Nakon razgovora s bolesnicom i njezinom obitelji, te u dogovoru s ginekolozima postavljena je dijagnoza pseudocieze (nediferencirani somatoformni poremećaj, prema ICD 10 kriterijima) te je bolesnica, koja je bila akutno uznemirena, plačljiva, na trenutke agitirana, s idejama odnosa, primljena na daljnje liječenje na psihijatrijsku kliniku. Naglašena je potreba timskog rada ginekologa i psihijatara u liječenju bolesnica koje boluju od pseudocieze

Podudarnost između poremećaja smanjene pozornosti / hiperaktivnosti (DSM IV ADHD) i hiperkinetskog poremećaja ICD 10 u uzorku hrvatske dječje populacije

The aim of the study was to examine directly the extent to which ICD 10 hyperkinetic disorder and DSM IV attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) identify the same children with the same difficulties. Participants were elementary school children (n=409) aged 7-10 years. Diagnostic criteria for ICD 10 hyperkinetic disorder and DSM IV ADHD were applied. Four groups were identified: hyperkinetic disorder and ADHD (n=35), ADHD only (n=27), hyperkinetic disorder only (n=3), and children without any symptoms according to DSM IV and ICD 10 criteria (n=344). The kappa coefficient assessing the agreement between the DSM IV ADHD and ICD 10 hyperkinetic disorder was K=0.66; percent of agreement = 78%. The c2-test yielded c2=250.3 (df=1; p<0.001). The prevalence of DSM IV ADHD and ICD 10 hyperkinetic disorder was 15.16% and 9.3%, respectively. DSM IV was found to identify a broader group of children; however, there was a substantial overlap between the groups formed according to these criteria.Cilj ovoga rada bio je usporediti u kojoj mjeri kriteriji MKB 10 za hiperkinetski poremećaj i poremećaj pozornosti/ hiperaktivnosti (ADHD) prema kriterijima DSM IV prepoznaju istu djecu s istovrsnim smetnjama. Ispitanici su bila djeca osnovnoškolskog uzrasta starosti 7-10 godina (n=409). U analizi su primijenjeni dijagnostički kriteriji prema klasifikaciji MKB 10 za hiperkinetski poremećaj i kriteriji DSM IV za ADHD. Izdvojene su četiri skupine djece: hiperkinetski poremećajem i ADHD (n=35), samo ADHD (n=27), samo hiperkinetski poremećaj (n=3) i djeca bez simptoma prema kriterijima DSM IV i ICD 10 (n=344). Koeficijent podudarnosti između hiperkinetskog poremećaja MKB 10 i DSM IV ADHD bio je K=0.66; postotak podudarnosti 78%. c2-test pokazao je statistički značajan rezultat (c2=250.3; df=1; p<0.001). Prevalencija za ADHD prema DSM IV bila je 15.16%, a za MKB 10 hiperkinetski poremećaj 9.3%. Utvrđeno je da DSM IV identificira širu skupinu djece, međutim, nađeno je značajno preklapanje među prepoznatim skupinama djece uz ova dva različita kriterija