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Motorcycles have the highest rate of vehicle collisions in Thailand, causing deaths, injuries, and disability--this quasi-experimental study aimed to test gamification's effectiveness in preventing risky motorcycle driving behaviors. The participants were senior secondary school students in Bangkok who used motorcycles daily to travel between home and school. Students in grade 11 and in two classrooms were randomly selected and assigned to experimental and control groups. Then, random sampling was used to select the participants who met the inclusion criteria in the experimental group (n = 37) receiving the behavioral risk prevention program using gamification for six weeks and the control group (n = 38) receiving a regular program from school. Questionnaires used for data collection were the Demographic and Motor Cycle Related Behavior and Experience Form, the Prevention Motivation Questionnaire, and the Intention of Driving Safety Questionnaire. Descriptive, and paired and independent t-tests were used to analyze the data. The results revealed that the mean score of prevention motivation and the intention of driving safety in the experimental group after receiving the program were significantly higher than before receiving the intervention program and significantly higher than the control group. This study underscores the potential of using gamification to prevent adolescent motorcycle accidents. However, further research is necessary to evaluate the program's long-term effectiveness in different settings. Moreover, it highlights the importance of reinforcing training and licensing for motorcycle driving among adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Men who have sex with men are at an increased risk of acquiring sexually transmitted infections, and although behavioral and contextual interventions have improved, infections continue to spread. Therefore, a new focus on recent trends in sexual health in this population is needed. The aim of this study was to describe the relationship between sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics according to Grindr usage patterns, the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and attitudes toward HIV testing. In January 2020, a cross-sectional study was conducted using a sample of 881 men who have sex with men (MSM) who completed an online questionnaire. We evaluated their Grindr use patterns (moderate or intensive) and explored the associations of these with sociodemographic behavioral characteristics, STIs, and attitudes toward HIV testing. Of 881 participants in total, 587 (66.6%) were intensive Grindr users. Compared to moderate users, these participants reported significantly higher numbers of casual sexual partners (76.2% vs. 23.8%; p < 0.001), were more likely to participate in Chemsex (77.3% vs. 22.7%: p = 0.031), and had a higher self-reported number of STIs (69.9% vs. 30.1; p = 0.046). They also demonstrated better attitudes toward HIV testing (69.7% vs. 30.3%; p = 0.045) and perceived themselves to be at moderate risk of HIV (71.2% vs. 28.8%: p = 0.048). Moreover, intensive Grindr users were 1.36 times more likely than moderate users to test positive for STIs (95%CI = 1.15–1.91; p = 0.048). With some limitations, age, sexual partners, intensive Grindr users, and PrEP uses were associated with the risk of STIs in the sample of Spanish Grindr users studied. As Grindr users are vulnerable to sociodemographic and behavioral factors that determine STIs and HIV infection, mainly among intensive users, it is necessary to highlight the importance of new trends such as online dating apps, PrEP use, substance use in sex, and Chemsex, and these need to be incorporated into online public health strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In November 2022, the global human population reached 8 billion and is projected to reach 10 billion by 2060. Theories, models, and evidence indicate that global population growth (GPG) increases the likelihood of many adverse outcomes, such as biodiversity loss, climate change, mass migrations, wars, and resource shortages. A small body of research indicates that many individuals are concerned about the effects of GPG, and these concerns are strongly related to the willingness to engage in mitigative and preventative actions. However, scientific understanding of the factors that influence GPG risk perceptions remains limited. To help address this research gap, we conducted a study of the perceived risk of GPG among UK and US residents (N = 1029) shortly after the "8 billion milestone." Our results confirmed that GPG is perceived as a moderate‐to‐high risk and these perceptions have a strong positive relationship with the willingness to engage in and support risk management actions. Our participants believed that the worst effects of GPG were yet to come but would largely be geographically and socially remote. Despite their willingness to engage in risk management actions, our participants reported low self‐efficacy and that governments (cf. individuals and communities) have the greatest capacity to influence GPG. Risk perceptions were strongly predicted by worldviews and were higher among our UK (cf. US) participants. We also found that the perceived benefits of GPG were low and found no evidence to suggest that risk perceptions were affected by exposure to media coverage of the 8 billion milestone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phenomenon of chemsex has emerged as an essential public health issue in recent years. This systematic review aimed to investigate currently available harm reduction strategies and to evaluate the efficacy of the corresponding interventions. Methods: A systematic review of the scientific literature related to harm and risk reduction strategies and the effectiveness of chemsex interventions. Between January 2024 and May 2024, the articles were retrieved from the electronic databases Pubmed, Web of Science, Scopus, PsycInfo, Cochrane, Dialnet, CUIDEN, and SciELO. The review protocol was registered in the PROSPERO database (registration number CRD42024508953). The inclusion criteria were as follows: (I) original studies published in peer-reviewed journals, (II) studies exploring harm reduction interventions for chemsex, and (III) studies reflecting the efficacy of harm reduction interventions for chemsex. Two reviewers independently selected articles by title, abstract, and full paper review and extracted data. Two authors described the selected studies and assessed their methodological quality. Results: The systematic review comprised six scientific papers that met the selection criteria and were obtained from five countries. Although a limited number of studies were included, it was observed that they presented a medium–high methodological quality. Programs evaluated interventions to reduce harm from chemsex, such as a web-based intervention that improved self-efficacy to refuse risky behaviors and accept HIV testing. The studies suggested that peer-led programs can be effective, especially with facilitators who have experienced chemsex dependence. Conclusion: Harm reduction strategies in chemsex are effective and should be promoted by health professionals. Interventions should be accessible, personalized, and non-judgmental to provide appropriate care and support, ensuring a comprehensive and effective public health response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loss aversion is a psychological construct defined as a tendency to value potential losses more than gains in a situation that requires decision-making. The Loss Aversion Scale (LAS, eight items) measures an individual’s loss aversion to various situations. However, the generalization of its psychometric properties to different population groups is unknown. This study aimed to validate the LAS instrument for use among Spanish university adults. To this end, two studies were conducted: a content validity study calculating the substantive validity (N = 24) of the instrument’s translation from original English to Spanish and a study of internal structure and association (N = 766) among Spanish university men and women aged 18–35. The analyses performed for each sample indicated that the instrument had adequate validity and reliability values as a one-dimensional measure; however, items 5 and 8 had to be removed. Their scores indicated moderate-magnitude correlations with social desirability. This article debates the study’s limitations, practical implications, and future lines of research based on the results. The conclusion is that the Loss Aversion Scale instrument suits general Spanish population samples and requires probable methodological control concerning social desirability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The current era of digitalization is encouraging public health literacy to increase, especially among teenagers who are close to gadgets, so that the term e-health literacy is known, namely digital health literacy is defined as the ability to search, find and understand health information available in resources. electronically and use information obtained from these resources to overcome health problems. Objective: To determine the effectiveness of application-based reproductive health education to increase positive behavior of adolescents in Ternate City. Method: This research uses a Quasi-experimental method (Pre-post Control Design). The number of samples in this study was 300 teenagers aged 12-15 years, in Ternate City. The measurement uses a questionnaire to measure knowledge, attitudes, actions, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and health literacy. The analysis used is the mean difference test, namely the Wilcoxon test and the Mann-Whitney test. Research Results: The distribution of respondents based on age groups in the control group and in the intervention group was mostly in the 13 year age group, namely 119 people (79.3%) and 111 people (74.0%), the most common gender was female. The results of the analysis showed that there were no differences between the control and intervention groups before treatment, there were differences between the control and intervention groups after treatment, there were differences before and after treatment in the variables knowledge (p value = 0.000), action (p value = 0.000), and health literacy (0.007) (p value < 0.05). However, there is no difference for the variables Attitude, Subjective Norms, Behavioral Control. There are differences before and after treatment in the variables knowledge (p value = 0.000), attitude (p value = 0.000), action (p value = 0.000), subjective norms (p value = 0.000), behavioral control (p value = 0.000) and health literacy (p value = 0.000) (p value < 0.05). Conclusion: Application-based reproductive health education has a good impact in increasing positive behavior among teenagers in Ternate City, this is based on changes in knowledge, attitudes, subjective norms, behavioral control and health literacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A company's cyber defenses are based on a secure infrastructure and risk-aware behavior by employees. With rising cyber threats and normative training efforts showing limited impact, raising cyber risk awareness is emerging as a challenging effort. The review of the extant literature on awareness diagnosis shows interdisciplinary but mainly theoretical approaches to understanding attitudes and influencing risk behavior. We propose and test a novel methodology to combine and operationalize two tools, deep metaphor interviews and the IDEA risk communication model, to apply them for the first time in the context of behavioral cyber vulnerabilities. The results show a link between diagnosed attitudes and effective risk behavior in a real-life organizational setting, indicating the potential for an expanded diagnostic effort. We propose to develop a broader diagnostic and intervention set to improve cyber awareness and a toolkit to support the business practice of cyber risk management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aims to explore the relevance of 'time spent with parents' for different risk behaviors (i.e., alcohol use, smoking, gambling and problematic social media use), peer factors (i.e., time spent with peers, peer pressure and peer support) and parenting behaviors (i.e., control, relatedness and family support). A cross-sectional design was employed, including 2165 adolescents aged from 12 to 18 years (Mage = 14.7, SD = 1.33; 52% girls; 30% in pre-vocational education). Independent sample t-tests were performed to compare different contrasting groups (≤1 h vs. >1 h; ≤2 h vs. >2 h; ≤3 h and >3 h) for relevant outcomes. Results. Adolescents spending on average >1 h per day with their parents in joint activities reported lower levels of risk behavior, less peer pressure, more peer support and more parental control, relatedness and family support. At the same time, this does not seem to come at the expense of spending time with peers, as adolescents spending 1 h or more with their parents did not spend less time with their peers. All the findings point at the relevance of parents spending time and undertaking joint activities with their adolescent children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Summary: Background and objectives: Due to increasing skin cancer incidence, Germany implemented a statutory nationwide routine skin cancer screening (rSCS) in 2008. The present study aims (1) to analyze which patient factors are associated with the participation in rSCS in Germany and (2) to investigate reasons for nonparticipation. Patients and methods: Participants and nonparticipants of rSCS (≥ 35 years) were recruited in routine care in nine dermatological outpatient clinics. Reasons for (non‐)participation, knowledge about skin cancer as well as clinical and socioeconomic data were obtained. Stratified by groups, descriptive analyses and binary logistic regression analyses for associations with participation were performed. Results: Of the 294 rSCS participants and 162 non‐participants, 46.5% were male with a mean age of 54.5 ± 12.7 years. In total, 87.1% had sunburns in childhood and 47.1% used sunbeds before. Higher age, female gender, previous sunbed use, and concern for and knowledge of skin cancer were significantly associated with previous rSCS participation. Of the non‐participants, 46% were unaware of the option for free rSCS and 40% justified their nonparticipation on the basis of feeling healthy. Conclusions: The reasons for nonparticipation in rSCS, such as sociodemographic characteristics and risk behavior, should be known in order to optimize rSCS programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This empirical research on children's poverty and the accompanying risk behavior was conducted in the Baktalórántháza micro-region, in one of the most disadvantaged micro-regions of Hungary. The study, completed in 2023, was conducted utilizing three methods, a questionnaire for families, interviews, and focus group interviews with social professionals working in the settlements. The region is one of the ten micro-regions with the highest poverty rate in the country. The majority of the population only has an elementary education, and the proportion of graduates is much lower than the national average. The proportion of households with three or more children is higher than the national average and the proportion of unemployed people in households with children is twice as high as the national average. Based on the experience of social workers working in the area, in addition to smoking and drinking alcohol, the consumption of psychoactive and psychotropic substances has increased among adolescents and young adults. Based on various indicators, children regularly consume illegal drugs. The origin and composition of these drugs are typically unknown. According to the reports by drug users, everyday life is easier, and they can escape from problems when under the influence of drugs. Based on the observations of experts, the consumption of various psychoactive substances has harmful effects on behavior, health, learning, and family life. School performance and the ability to think and learn decrease. Drug users are dissatisfied with their lives, have problems with social relationships, engage in partner violence, and may develop antisocial behavior in their lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of mediation practices typically focus on parental mediation, but during adolescence parents' impact decreases relative to that of peers. This study compares perceived parental and peer mediation in the context of media portrayals of risk behavior and adolescents' perceptions thereof. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 278 adolescents aged 12 to 17 (M = 14.18, SD = 1.62, 51.4 % girls) using Hayes's process macro (model 4) to investigate direct and indirect associations between mediation, media-related cognitions, and social norms. Findings indicate that perceived parental and peer mediation are related to adolescents' media-related cognitions and perceived social norms in equally important but different ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Brasileira de Obesidade, Nutrição e Emagrecimento is the property of Instituto Brasileiro de Pesquisa e Ensino em Fisiologia do Exercicio and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The goal of this project was to substantiate a more positive conceptualization of adolescent risk behavior and to compare adolescent viewpoints of risk behavior to the items on the Prosocial and Health Adolescent Risk Behavior Scale (PHARBS). A total of 57 high school students participated in the research. Researchers recruited students from an Advanced Placement (AP) Psychology course at a large Midwestern high school. The high school serves approximately 1,750 students in grades 9 through 12. The university Institutional Review Board approved the study procedures. Families provided informed consent, and students assented to participating in one of eight focus group discussions. The focus groups were audio taped, transcribed, and coded. Researchers analyzed the coded data using word count analysis. Students discussed prosocial risk behaviors in addition to health risk behaviors, providing support for the PHARBS and suggesting that adolescents view taking some risks as positive. A more positive conceptualization of risk behavior may better align with how adolescents view risk behavior. Researchers and clinicians might approach adolescent risk behavior measurement and research on the importance of understanding risk behaviors as a normal and potentially positive aspect of adolescent development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the mental health needs and risk behaviors of adolescents attending an afterschool life-skills skateboarding program, to evaluate the perceived benefits of the program, and to identify potential modifications required to meet the identified needs. Program participants were from three gang- and poverty-affected urban communities in Cape Town, South Africa. Seventy-six adolescents aged between 10 and 19 years old (83% male) completed a self-report survey, and 24 adolescents and 19 key influencers participated in in-depth interviews and focus groups. Descriptive analyses were conducted on survey data and a framework approach was used to analyze qualitative data. 72% of the adolescents reported symptoms of moderate to severe anxiety and/or depressive symptoms, 66% had experienced food insecurity, 45% had been physically abused at home, 47% had been bullied, and 59% had used alcohol. Benefits of the program included experiencing a sense of belonging to a skateboarding subculture, protection from gang recruitment and community violence, physical and emotional benefits of exercise, mentors as positive role models, and learning life skills. Recommendations to improve the program were to include information on depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and grief, and to include stress management and emotion regulation skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports on one of the objectives of a larger study aiming at the development of an adolescent risk-behavior management program for foster parents. The objective relevant to this article entailed the exploration of parenting behaviors and attitudes of parents fostering adolescents presenting with risk behavior. The respondents were recruited from the clientele of designated welfare organizations in the North West Province of South Africa. A quantitative survey using the multi-dimensional Parental Style Dimension Questionnaire (PSDQ) was administered to a purposive sample of 150 respondents. A response rate of 64.5% was achieved, with only foster mothers participating in the study. Data analysis was done by the Statistical Consultation Services of the North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus) using IBM SPSS Statistics Version 25, Release 25.0 SPSS. In addition, T-Tests and ANOVAs were used to test the hypothesis at a 0.05 level of significance and Spearman's correlations examine correlations between sub-scale scores and biographical data. Sub-scales of the PSDQ were tested for internal consistency reliability and reasonable coefficients were rendered, except for the permissive parenting style scale that was excluded from analysis. The results showed a significant, positive correlation between authoritative and authoritarian parenting styles amongst the respondents. Parental attitudes and responses to risk behavior significantly affected their actual behavior towards fostered adolescents presenting with risk behavior. The researchers concluded that consideration of parenting styles in the foster care relationship context will greatly determine the nature of further interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although high parental education reduces adolescents' tobacco use, this effect may be weaker for ethnic minorities than non-Latino White adolescents. Aim: To study the association between parental education at baseline and adolescents' subsequent tobacco curiosity overall and by ethnicity. Methods: The current study used four years of follow-up data from the PATH-Adolescents) study. All participants were 12 to 17-year-old non-smokers at baseline and were successfully followed for four years (n = 3109). The outcome of interest was curiosity about (traditional and electronic) cigarettes in year four. The predictor of interest was baseline parental education, the covariates were age, sex, and parental marital status at baseline, and the moderator was ethnicity. Results: According to our linear regressions, higher parental education at baseline was predictive of adolescents' subsequent tobacco curiosity at year four; however, this association was weaker for Latino than non-Latino adolescents. We did not find a significant difference in the effect of baseline parental education on subsequent tobacco curiosity of White and African American adolescents. Conclusion: The effect of high parental education on tobacco curiosity differs between Latino and non-Latino adolescents. Future research should test the role of advertisement exposure, the prevalence of smokers, as well as other contextual factors at school and neighborhood conditions that may increase curiosity toward cigarettes in Latino adolescents regardless of parental education. The role of high-risk peers, family, friends, proximity to tobacco outlets, and other contextual conditions should be tested in future multi-level research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescents often engage in behaviors such as substance use and risky sexual activity that can lead to negative health and psychological consequences for themselves and others. Accurate measurement of these behaviors in surveys is challenging given that the behaviors are often viewed as undesirable and/or are illegal, so it is important to test the psychometric properties of instruments used to assess adolescent risk behaviors. The current study aimed to assess the test-retest reliability of a widely used measure of youth risk-taking behavior, the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). A sample of 156 at-risk adolescents aged 16–18 years (81% male; 61% White) completed the YRBS retrospectively across intervals ranging from 3 to 12 days during their stay in a residential program at which they were under close supervision and had limited ability to engage in new risk behaviors. Participants were asked to complete the YRBS based on their "typical" (pre-program) behavior at both administrations, which were 10–14 weeks into their stay. The reliability of responses was assessed using kappa and weighted kappa analyses. Findings indicate moderate to substantial reliability for nearly all items, suggesting that at-risk youth reliably reported their engagement in health risk behaviors across multiple administrations and supporting the psychometric strength of the YRBS measure for use with this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Internacional de Investigación en Adicciones is the property of Centros de Integracion Juvenil A.C. (CIJ) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Complutense de Educación is the property of Universidad Complutense de Madrid and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In many countries, there is a high number of teenage pregnancies, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), and unsafe sexual behavior, so there is a need for adolescent health intervention programs to change behavior. The effectiveness of comprehensive interventions in various contexts to reduce teenage pregnancy, STIs, and related sexual risk behaviors is reviewed in this systematic. This study aimed to identify risk sexual behavior, sexually transmitted infections, and adolescent pregnancy prevention interventions. Literature search strategy from January 2008 to December 2022 through electronic databases. Key words 'teenage prenancy' OR 'teen pregnancy' OR 'pregnancy adolescence', AND 'maternal education', AND 'randomised clinical trial', AND 'risk behavior'. Articles that were deemed worthy of following the PRISMA guidelines were 28 articles. Most studies looked at school-based, individual, community, clinic, and family-based care. Most studies were followed up after intervention at intervals from one month to seven years, and the majority of the population and sample were adolescents with ages ranging from 13 to 18 years. Implementation of research in urban, suburban, and rural areas. This program has proven successful in preventing pregnancy, contraceptive use, STI and HIV, sexual behavior, dropping out of school, knowledge about pregnancy, sexuality, attitudes towards sexuality, intention to change risky sexual behavior, self-efficacy, and increasing parent-children. This article describes some basic trends in adolescent pregnancy prevention interventions in several countries that can be used as a reference for health programs. Unproven effectiveness can be implemented in conjunction with other interventions that have a high-quality impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Adolescent female sex workers are at high risk of acquiring human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) infection. There was paucity of information regarding their sexual practices. The main objective of this study was to study the sexual behavior, condom use practices, and physical and sexual violence experienced by adolescent female sex workers (FSWs). Materials and Methods: This study was a secondary data analysis of the data collected during the nationwide IBBS 2014–15 survey. All adolescent FSWs aged 15 to 19 years were included in the analysis. The primary outcome variable was HIV serostatus, and independent variables included sexual behavior and condom use practices and socio-demographic variables. Descriptive analyses were performed to estimate the prevalence of independent variables. Ethical approval of the original IBBS study was obtained by the Ethics Committee of National AIDS Control Organization. Results: A total of 948 adolescent FSWs were included in the final analysis. The prevalence of HIV in adolescent FSWs was 1.2% [95% confidence interval, 0.1–1.9%]. The mean age [standard deviation (SD)] of FSWs was 18.2 (0.9) years. The mean (SD) age at first sexual intercourse was 15.6 (1.7) years, and the mean (SD) age of starting sex work was 16.6 (1.5) years. The majority of the FSWs (94%) had used condom during the last sexual intercourse with a commercial partner, and about one-thirds (66%) had consistently used condom with a commercial partner. About a quarter (26%) of the FSWs had anal intercourse with a commercial partner in the last 1 month. About one in five FSWs (21%) had experienced physical violence in the last 1 year. Conclusion: Almost one-third of FSWs had high-risk sexual behavior like multiple clients, anal intercourse, inconsistent condom use, and so on. These behaviors in turn increase their vulnerability to HIV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adherence to COVID-19 social distancing restrictions may be challenging for adolescents, especially those concerned about social status. This study examined self-perceived popularity and reputation concerns as predictors of adherence to health guidelines and the effects of self-perceived popularity on adjustment. Adolescents (n = 1,068, 14–18 years at Time 1, Mage = 16.86 years) completed three self-report surveys across 10 months during the COVID-19 pandemic. Consistent with hypotheses, greater self-perceived popularity and concerns about peer reputation predicted less adherence, controlling for COVID-19 threat. Further, greater self-perceived popularity predicted less internalizing symptoms at Time 3. Adolescents' perceptions of their popularity may simultaneously act as a public health risk and provide social protection. Results emphasize the importance of acknowledging adolescents' social pressures and concerns regarding reputations and popularity during COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People with chronic illnesses are at increased risk of contracting COVID‐19. Still, little is known about whether such an increased risk relates to COVID‐19‐related protective behaviors among those with chronic illness. This study compares the self‐reported COVID‐19 risky and protective behaviors—specifically physically distancing, handwashing, and having houseguests—of people (N = 936) (1) living with chronic illnesses or (2) cohabiting with someone with chronic illness to those who fall in neither category at the beginning of the COVID‐19 pandemic (April 2020). Study results were mixed: people with a chronic illness were more likely to have had houseguests in the past 5 days and less likely to have increased their handwashing in response to the pandemic, but were also more likely to physical distance when outside the home. Those cohabiting with someone with a chronic illness were more likely to have had houseguests, but did not differ in other outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a review of research regarding the effects of monetary executive incentives on risk-taking. More precisely, we investigate executives' risk-taking (i) in response to the curvature (steepness, convexity, concavity) of the compensation function and (ii) with regard to reference points. Thereby, we refine and update common textbook knowledge. In this vein, we identify essential moderators at the personal, firm, or environmental level that can be used to assess the effectiveness of the incentive scheme in a specific context. Implications for incentive system design in practice and paths for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to develop a conceptual framework for further understanding the risks embedded in co-creation services in high-contact service transactions. It delineates behavioral and economic perspectives focusing on agency costs, risk behavior, compensation structure and provides a context in which information is processed. Design/methodology/approach: Following an extensive review of the literature, propositions are advanced that relate an agent's risk behavior to information processing, compensation and the propensity to engage in co-creation. These propositions provide a complementary context for understanding risks in the co-creation process. Findings: The propositions detail how a service agent's information processing can be enhanced if the customer's expected utility from transactions is maximized by managing the agent's risk behavior and earnings potential. A compensation structure that balances fixed base and variable pay can motivate risk-taking and the agent's propensity to engage in co-creation. Originality/value: This paper extends the understanding of agency risks in the co-creation of hospitality services that integrates economic and behavioral perspectives with information processing. Theoretical implications include a broader context of the risks underlying co-creation. Practical implications relate to how earnings potential could be maximized by considering the agent's risk behavior and the expected utility arising from such transactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Managing wildlife diseases is a constant challenge in wildlife management and may require increasing attention as climate change increases the range, spread, and transmission cycles of some of these diseases in North America. The present study quantified hunters' compliance with chronic wasting disease (CWD) risk-reduction practices across 26 deer management units (DMUs) in Ohio. We assessed self-reported, typical deer processing behaviors among hunters who reported hunting in and near the Disease Surveillance Area (DSA). Results indicate that noncompliance with deer processing recommendations was considerably higher in the DMU encompassing the DSA. Addressing noncompliance will likely require locally focused communication and outreach centered on the risk of CWD in the area. Communication that highlights the wider prevailing norms of the following recommendations (60–70% of Ohio hunters either take their deer to a processor or put unused parts in the trash or landfill) may influence behavior change, especially in combination with more tailored, culturally driven outreach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence showed a greater risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among sexual minority women (SMW). Limited studies investigated characteristics and sexual health among Chinese SMW. To fill the current gaps, the research group launched the first national survey to explore sexual behavior and health outcomes among SMW in China. The study recruited participants online during Nov. 1–15, 2020, and disseminated online questionnaires to harvest participants' sexual behaviors and self-reported STIs in the past year. All the participants read and signed an online informed consent form. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and 95 percent confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated in the analysis. Sex toy use (AOR = 1.5; 95 percent CI: 1.3, 1.7), G-spot exploration (AOR = 1.5; 95 percent CI: 1.2, 1.7), symptoms in the past year (AOR = 3.8; 95 percent CI: 3.1, 4.6), and self-reported STIs (AOR = 2.0; 95 percent CI: 1.6, 2.7) were associated with symptoms during sex. Factors associated with self-reported STIs were having first-time sex with a male (AOR = 2.0; 95 percent CI: 1.5, 2.5), digital-vaginal contact (AOR = 2.3; 95 percent CI: 1.1, 4.5), sexual intercourse with a male in the past year (AOR = 1.8; 95 percent CI: 1.2, 2.5), symptoms during sex (AOR = 2.0; 95 percent CI: 1.5, 2.6), and symptoms in the past year (AOR = 6.1; 95 percent CI: 4.8, 7.8). SMW reported risk behaviors for STIs, and women who have sex with women and men (WSW/M) were more susceptible to the infections. Tailored interventions should be developed to raise awareness of STIs and increase STI testing uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Transdiagnostic Self-injury Interview (TSI) is a new measure that assesses the onset, frequency, methods, and severity of non-suicidal self-injury. The aims were to demonstrate the feasibility of a TSI validation study, and to investigate TSI's criterion validity, clinical correlates, and interrater reliability. Recruiting sites were psychiatric in- and outpatient units. Feasibility targets included number of participants completing the study, TSI completion time, total participation time, participants experiencing exacerbation of symptoms, along with other targets. Criterion validity was evaluated using the Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory (DSHI). Clinical correlates were examined with the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), the Personal and Social Performance Scale, the Affective Lability Scale-18, and the Brief Trauma Questionnaire. Interrater reliability was evaluated with video recordings and written material. Fifty participants were included. The majority were women (76%) and had a mean age of 31.3 years (SD: 10.4). Schizophrenia (44%) and schizoaffective disorder (18%) were the most prevalent diagnoses. TSI took an average 9.3 min to complete and the total participation time was on average less than one hour. One participant experienced an exacerbation of self-injury ideation (without the need of intervention). A significant correlation was found between TSI and DSHI (r: 0.94, p-value: < 0.001). TSI was correlated to C-SSRS ideation intensity and ideation frequency but not suicidal attempts. TSI was not significantly correlated to other measures. Interrater reliabilities were statistically significant. The results support the feasibility of a TSI validation study, which is needed to validate TSI in different settings and across diagnoses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Psico-USF is the property of Universidade Sao Francisco, Programa de Pos-Graduacao Stricto Sensu em Psicologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Many young people are potentially at risk of noise-induced hearing loss due to unsafe use of personal listening devices. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine the association of sociodemographic factors and risk behavior with unsafe use of personal listening devices in adolescents to identify a target group for prevention. A smartphone application was developed to objectively measure music listening habits among 314 adolescents with a mean age of 13 years and 7 months (SD ±5 months). Listening habits were characterized as safe or unsafe based on the weekly noise dose. Data on sociodemographic factors and traditional health risk behaviors were obtained by questionnaires. Within the study group, 10.5% of the participants exceeded the 50%, and 4.8% the 100% recommended weekly noise dose. Adolescents with a lower socioeconomic status were more likely to engage in unsafe listening habits as compared to adolescents with a higher socioeconomic status. Additionally, risk behavior was associated with higher odds of having unsafe listening habits as compared to no risk behavior. Age, sex and educational levels were not significantly associated with unsafe listening habits. The findings of the present study indicate that interventions to promote safe listening habits should target adolescents with a lower socioeconomic status and higher risk behavior. Future research is needed to investigate how these adolescents can be motivated to adopt safe listening habits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past two decades of research, increased media consumption in the context of collective traumas has been cross-sectionally and longitudinally linked to negative psychological outcomes. However, little is known about the specific information channels that may drive these patterns of response. The current longitudinal investigation uses a probability-based sample of 5,661 Americans measured at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to identify a) distinct patterns of information-channel use (i.e., dimensions) for COVID-related information, b) demographic correlates of these patterns, and c) prospective associations of these information channel dimensions with distress (i.e., worry, global distress, and emotional exhaustion), cognition (e.g., beliefs about the seriousness of COVID-19, response efficacy, and dismissive attitudes), and behavior (e.g., engaging in health-protective behaviors and risk-taking behaviors) 6 mo later. Four distinct information-channel dimensions emerged: journalistic complexity; ideologically focused news; domestically focused news; and nonnews. Results indicate that journalistic complexity was prospectively associated with more emotional exhaustion, belief in the seriousness of the coronavirus, response efficacy, engaging in health-protective behaviors, and less dismissiveness of the pandemic. A reliance on conservative-leaning media was prospectively associated with less psychological distress, taking the pandemic less seriously, and engaging in more risk-taking behaviors. We discuss the implications of this work for the public, policy makers, and future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Dietary habits may be associated with adolescents' health and behavior. However, previous findings are inconsistent and often unadjusted for sociodemographic confounders. The aim of this study was to investigate (1) whether dietary habits (consumption of fruits, vegetables, sweets, soft drinks, breakfast, and family meals) cluster among adolescents and (2) how these clusters associate with a range of health, well‐being, and behavior outcomes in a large population‐based sample of adolescents. Methods: The study included adolescents (n = 7529; n = 3891 [51.7%] girls; mean [standard deviation] age = 14.9[2.1] years) from the 2018 Luxembourg Health Behaviour in School‐aged Children study. We used cluster analysis to define clusters of dietary habits (consumption of fruits, vegetables, sweets, soft drinks, breakfast, and family meals) and logistic regression analyses to assess the cross‐sectional associations of the clusters with health, well‐being and behavior, adjusted for age, gender, family affluence, and migration background. Results: Cluster analysis yielded five clusters of dietary habits: (1) healthy, (2) family meal and breakfast skippers, (3) sugar consumption, (4) unbalanced diet, and (5) unhealthy. The healthy cluster was associated with better health and positive mental health and behavior, whereas the less healthy clusters were associated with worse health, mental health problems, and risk behavior. Conclusion: Findings suggest that healthy dietary habits associate with positive health and behavior, whereas unhealthy dietary habits associate with health problems and risk behavior during adolescence. More research is needed to investigate the underlying mechanisms. Interventions should include dietary habits as a component of lifestyle modification to improve adolescents' health, well‐being, and behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores road users' behaviors and accident analyses on different travel modes in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region (BMR). The questionnaire survey was adopted and designed based on contributing factors related to risk behavior perceptions in different travel modes. A total of 3000 participants submitted questionnaires that provided data for a multiple regression model analysis. The results indicated that different travel modes have different risk behavior perceptions. Road users of vulnerable modes of travel, such as walking and cycling, were more aware of risky behaviors than users of others. Risky, violent behavior may occur due to fatigue, driving while taking drugs, or aggressive tactics where the driver may lose control and cause an accident. However, driver negligence, especially violating traffic rules, may sometimes cause risky behavior. The results show that age, gender, education level, income level, marital status, driving experience, accident experience, and attitude toward road safety affect risk behavior perception. In conclusion, the differentiation of vehicles plays a vital role as a critical issue that should be understood for effectively mitigating risks in different travel patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early sexual activity has been associated with unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. In recent decades, the prevalence of early sexual activity and social media use has increased. However, the relationship between these variables has been little studied. Consequently, we examined the relationships of some factors present in the family and personal environment with early sexual activity in adolescents who use and do not use the WhatsApp and Facebook platforms. Through a cross-sectional study, data from 1328 adolescents aged 13 to 19 years were analyzed. Data collection was carried out using a self-administered questionnaire. Of the total participants, 35.7% reported early sexual activity, and 37.7% reported using social networks such as WhatsApp and Facebook. The mean age of onset of sexual activity was 15.59 ± 1.56 years. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed significant associations of not studying (adjusted OR 4.70; CI 95% 1.31–16.78), consuming alcohol (adjusted OR 3.71; CI 95% 2.44–5.65) and having parents who consumed alcoholic beverages in the home (adjusted OR 1.48; 95% CI 1.03–2.12) with ESA. In the family and personal environment, some factors favored early sexual activity in young people who used the WhatsApp and Facebook applications. This information should be used by authorities in the health and education sectors to strengthen preventive programs targeting health risk habits and behaviors in adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the mental health status and risk factors for the mental health of first-year university students on a health sciences campus. Design/methodology/approach: This is a descriptive study. The research was conducted with first-year students in the health sciences, dentistry and medical faculties of a state university (n = 770). The data were collected with a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Risk Behavior of Young Adults Survey, the Bergen Insomnia Scale, General Health Questionnaire-28 and the Mental Health Improvement Scale. Body mass ındex was calculated. Findings: Among the students, 53.7% experienced feelings of hopelessness in the last year and 1% had attempted suicide. The percentage of students found to be at risk in terms of mental health was 41.9%; 39.4% reported that they suffered from insomnia. It was found that those who had been subjected to bullying, felt hopelessness, had suicidal thoughts, planned to commit suicide and students who experienced sleeping problems were more at risk in terms of psychological issues (p < 0.01). Insomnia (β: 3.341) and smoking (β: 2.226) were identified as the strongest risk factors for mental health in first-year health sciences students (p < 0.005). Practical implications: The results of the research offer an opportunity to get to know the characteristics of first-year university students who are at risk for mental health. It offers the opportunity to closely monitor and protect the mental health of students starting from the first grade. Originality/value: In this study, it was determined that approximately half of the first-year university students were in the risk group in terms of mental health. Female gender, having a chronic illness, smoking a day or more in the past 30 days, not doing any physical activity, having a weak BMI, being bullied in the past 12 months, being cyberbullied in the past 12 months and having insomnia have been identified as risk factors that negatively affect mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although risky behaviors such as educational problems and tobacco use tend to co-occur, these associations may vary across diverse ethnic groups, in part because ethnic minorities tend to reside in worse neighborhoods and tend to attend worse schools than Non-Latino White adolescents. Aim: To compare the association between baseline school achievement (student grades) and subsequent tobacco use susceptibility (openness to smoke in future) by ethnicity, we compared African American, Latino, and Non-Latino White adolescents in the US over a four-year period. Methods: This longitudinal study followed 3636 adolescents who were never smokers at baseline for a period of four years. Baseline and four-year data of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study were used for this analysis. All participants were 12 to 17 years old at baseline and were either Non-Latino White (Majority), African American (Minority), or Latino (Minority). The outcome was a tobacco use susceptibility score at wave 4 which was defined as openness to use tobacco in the future, measured at year four. The predictor was school achievement at wave 1, measured as grades from F to A+. The moderator was ethnicity (African American, Latino, Non-Latino White), and covariates were age, gender, parental education, and family structure. Results: Our linear regressions in the pooled sample showed an inverse association between baseline school achievement and subsequent tobacco use susceptibility four years later. However, this inverse association was weaker for ethnic minorities than for Non-Latino White adolescents, as documented by interaction effects between ethnic minority status and baseline school grades. Conclusion: Higher educational success better correlates with lower tobacco use susceptibility of non-Latino White than African American and Latino adolescents, which may reflect some tobacco use susceptibility of Latino and African American adolescents with highly educated parents. Future research should investigate how social context such as high-risk school environment, neighborhood risk, peer risk, and other mechanisms increase behavioral risk of educationally successful African American and Latino adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While high parental education is associated with better health, this association may be weaker for ethnic minority than for ethnic majority families. It is unknown whether the association between parental education and adolescents' asthma also varies by ethnicity. Aim: To study the association between parental education and adolescents' asthma overall and by ethnicity. Methods: The current study used data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH)-Adolescents study. All participants were 12 to 17-year-old non-smokers (n = 8652). The outcome of interest was adolescents' asthma. The predictor of interest was baseline parental education, the covariates were age, sex, and number of parents present at baseline, and the moderator was ethnicity. Results: According to logistic regression analyses, higher parental education was predictive of adolescents' asthma; however, this association was weaker for Latino than non-Latino adolescents (OR 1.771; CI 1.282–2.446). We did not find a significant difference in the effect of parental education on asthma of White and African American adolescents. Our stratified models also showed that higher parental education was associated with lower asthma for non-Latino but not for Latino adolescents. Conclusion: The effect of high parental education on adolescents' asthma prevalence differs between Latino and non-Latino families, with Latino families showing weaker protective effects of parental education on adolescents' asthma. Future research should test the role of exposure to environmental pollutants, neighborhood quality, and prevalence of smoking in social network members as well as other contextual factors at home, in school, and in the neighborhood that may increase prevalence of asthma in Latino adolescents regardless of their parental education. Given that these potential causes are multi-level, potential causes of such disparities should be tested in future multi-level research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dual theory establishes that the decision-making process relies on two different systems, the affective system and the executive function (EF), developed during adolescence. This study analyzes the relationship between the decision-making and EF processes in a group of early adolescents (mean age = 12.51 years, SD = 0.61), where more affective impulse processes are developed, and in young adults (mean age = 19.38 years, SD = 1.97), where cognitive control processes have already matured. For this purpose, 140 participants in Spain completed the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) to measure their risky decisions and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task (WCST) to measure their EF. Performance on the IGT improves over blocks; however, adolescents received lower mean scores than young adults. However, controlling for age, perseverative errors were negatively associated with the mean net score on the risky blocks of IGT; thus, those who committed more perseverative errors in the WCST were more likely to take cards from the disadvantageous decks on the last blocks of the IGT. The current study shows that adolescents and adults solve ambiguous decisions by trial and error; however, adolescents are more likely to make risky decisions without attending to the long-term consequences. Following the dual theory hypothesis, the maturation of EF with age partly accounts for this difference in risky decision-making between adolescents and adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motor skills enable multi-facetted interactions with the environment and allow children to develop social skills and respond appropriately to situational social demands when interacting with peers and adults. Previous research with clinical samples (e.g., children diagnosed with Developmental Coordination Disorder) showed that children's motor skills are closely linked to their psychosocial behavior (e.g., prosocial, hyperactive, inattentive, interpersonal), but studies with typically developing children are rare. We sought to fill this research gap by examining relationships between gait variability as an indicator of motor skills and prosocial behavior, problem behavior, and risk-taking behavior in typically developing children. Participants were a large cross-section of 7-13-year-olds (N = 221). They were asked to walk normally across an electronic pathway (GAITRite). We assessed their gait variability (i.e., stride time, stride length and stride velocity). Their parents completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire that assessed their child's prosocial behavior, hyperactivity, emotional symptoms, and any conduct or peer relationship problems. Parents also provided information on an adapted scale of the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire assessing risk-taking behavior. We used multilevel modeling to account for individual interdependence and to analyze the maximum number of strides for each participant. Children with greater stride length variability and velocity showed significantly less prosocial behavior, had more emotional symptoms and demonstrated less risk-taking behavior. Stride time variability was not significantly related to any variables. These results align with past findings that gait is sensitive to motor skill differences, and they extend past findings of these associations between gait and facets of intra- and interpersonal characteristics among children within clinical disorders to typically developing children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epigenetic modifications of the membrane bound catechol-Omethyltransferase (MB-COMT) gene may affect the enzymatic degradation of dopamine, and consequently, human behavior. This study investigated the association between membrane bound catechol-O-methyltransferase DNA methylation (DNAm) differences in 92 monozygotic (MZ) twins with phenotypic manifestations of cognitive, behavioral, and personality indicators associated with reward-related behaviors and lack of control. We used pyrosequencing to determine DNAm of the regulatory region of membrane bound catechol-O-methyltransferase in saliva DNA. Results of intrapair differences in the percentage of membrane bound catechol-Omethyltransferase DNAm at each of five CpG sites show that there are associations between phenotypic indicators of lack of control and membrane bound catechol-O-methyltransferase DNAm differences on CpG1, CpG2 and CpG4, suggesting the common epigenetic patterns for personality traits, cognitive functions, and risk behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To analyze the tendency of alcoholic beverage consumption among adolescents and young adults at school age according to their sexes. Methods: This is a trend research study in public schools of the municipality of Petrolina, between 2014 and 2016, with 3146 students aged between 12 and 24 years old. The instrument was constituted by socio-economic inquiry and the Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Trends were assessed using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended approach. The analyses were conducted using logistic regression, with a statistical significance of 0.05. Results: Close to 56% of the adolescents had already tried some alcoholic beverage, most of which had contact after 13 years of age. The prevalence of binge drinking ranged between 17% and 25%. The percentage of girls who tried alcohol before 13 years old remained similar over the three years (p = 0.943). The prevalence of this behavior was stabilized at around 20%. There was a trend to decrease in the prevalence of boys who reported having tried alcohol before 13 years old (p = 0.014). The percentage of boys who reported involvement in binge drinking in the past 30 days remained stable at around 20% over the years (p = 0.951). The girls’ data revealed a significant decrease in binge drinking (p = 0.019). Conclusions: The general analysis suggests a trend towards stabilization of consumption among boys, and an increase among girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although high socioeconomic status (SES) is known to be associated with low-risk behaviors, the effects of high family SES may be weaker for racial and ethnic minority than majority youth. Aim: We compared the association between family SES and peers' tobacco use risk between majority and minority youth in the US. Methods: We used four years of follow up data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH-Youth) study. All participants were 12 to 17 years old at baseline and were successfully followed for four years. 4652 Non-Latino and Latino White and Black youth were enrolled. Outcome was peers' tobacco use risk at year four, treated as a continuous measure. Predictor was baseline parental SES, as a proxy of family SES. Moderator was racial and ethnic minority status. Covariates were age, gender, and family structure at baseline. Results: Our linear regressions in the pooled sample showed that higher family SES at baseline was associated with a lower level of peers' tobacco use risk at year four, however, this association was weaker for minority than majority youth. Our stratified models also showed that higher family SES was associated with a lower level of peers' tobacco use risk for majority but not for ethnic minority youth. Conclusion: The presumed protective effect of high family SES against peers' tobacco use risk varies between diverse ethnic groups of youth. Future research should test the role of school and neighborhood climate on weakening the protective effects of family SES for minority youth. The role of high-risk schools and neighborhood environments and other contextual conditions should be tested in future multi-level research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Saúde Coletiva is the property of MPM Comunicacao and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Limiting the spread of COVID-19 during the pandemic is a collective action problem that calls on individuals to act, not just for their benefit but also for the benefit of others in their community. Many environmental problems, especially climate change, share this characteristic, which invites inquiry on whether those predisposed to act to solve environmental problems may also be predisposed to act to solve health-focused collective action problems. In this study, we use a survey instrument to examine how pro-environmental attitudes and two types of altruism relate to the tendency to follow social distancing guidelines and limit voluntary social exposure during the pandemic. We find that pro-environmental behaviors predict a feeling of moral obligation to reduce COVID-19 risk and a lower level of voluntary social exposure. Voluntary, individual-level altruism has no relationship with social exposure. These findings point to important insights about the connections between different types of collective action and the nuances in altruistic behavior. These insights may lead to essential guidance for public health and environmental messaging that respects and leverages the differences in voluntary, individual-level altruism and collective altruism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Brain functional performance is a collection of outstanding mental processing that provides a framework for achieving goals based on targeted behaviors. Disorders in executive functions make it difficult for a person to perform everyday tasks. One of the phenomena highlighted in various media is the violence that adolescents welcome with the production of violent movies. This study aimed to investigate the effect of violent movies on risky decision-making and behavioral inhibition of adolescents and compare the effects of violence with melodrama movies Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted with a pretest-posttest design with a control group among 60 adolescents (30 girls and 30 boys) living in Tehran City, Iran. They were selected using the available sampling method. For this purpose, neurological tests of Iowa Gambling and go-no go were used. Results: The results showed that violent movies caused a significant increase in risky decision-making (P<0.05). In addition, these types of movies caused a significant decrease in behavioral inhibition among adolescents (P<0.05). Conclusion: Movies with ill-mannered stories and content that glorify violence harm adolescents' decision-making and deterrence, leading them to make risky decisions and weaken their inhibition power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of volatility-based trading strategies depends, among other factors, on the asset selection and the associated risk preference. For this study, we conducted a representative survey for Germany to determine the asset preferences of individuals with lower-risk and higher-risk preference. These two types of behavioral modified asset allocations (lower-risk and higher-risk) form the basis for testing our volatility-based trading strategy with different risk and loss levels. The tests are based on historical asset price data over a period of nearly the last eleven years. The goal was to historically outperform the broad market by changing various factors, such as the initial asset allocation, the asset reallocation, and the risk and loss level underlying the trading strategy. We achieve this by using the riskier initial asset allocation and applying our trading strategy with a risk and loss level of 10% each. In this case, a historical return of 326% could have been achieved with our trading strategy over the period under review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has called worldwide for strong governmental measures to contain its spread, associated with considerable psychological distress. This study aimed at screening a convenience sample in Germany during lockdown for perceived vulnerability to disease, knowledge about COVID-19, symptoms of depression and anxiety, and behavioral responses. In an online survey, 1358 participants completed the perceived vulnerability to disease scale (PVD), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-4), and questionnaires on knowledge about COVID-19 and self-perceived change in behaviors in response to COVID-19. Lower and upper quartiles of the PVD were used to classify individuals into low and high PVD. A confirmatory factor analysis supported three factors representing risk, preventive and adaptive behavior as behavioral responses to COVID-19 lockdown. A structural equation model showed that the score of the knowledge scale significantly predicted the self-reported increase in adaptive and preventive behavior. The score in the PVD-subscale Perceived Infectability predicted a self-reported increase in preventive behavior, whereas the Germ Aversion score predicted a self-reported increase in preventive and a decrease in risk behavior. The score in PHQ-4 predicted a higher score in the perceived infectability and germ aversion subscales, and a self-reported decrease in adaptive behavior. Low-, medium- and high-PVD groups reported distinct patterns of behavior, knowledge, and mental health symptoms. This study shows that perceived vulnerability to disease is closely linked to preventive behaviors and may enhance adaptation to COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During 2007–2019, the percentage of HIV Outpatient Study participants reporting anal or vaginal condomless sex in the past 6 months ranged from a low of 17% among heterosexual males to 59% for men who have sex with men (MSM). MSM reported having had condomless sex more frequently than heterosexual males and females and were the only group in which an increase in condomless sex was observed during the study period (from 39 to 59%). Although persons with undetectable HIV viral load have effectively no risk of transmitting HIV sexually (U = U), there is still the potential risk of transmission or acquisition of other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) when engaging in condomless sex. Continuing education about risks of HIV and STI transmission as well as ongoing screening for and treatment of STIs, retention in HIV treatment, and support for sexual health are critical components of care for people living with HIV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]