Search

Background: Policy changes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have impacted on alcohol control. This study describes the development and application of a classification scheme to map alcohol policy changes during the first three-months of the COVID-19 pandemic in five countries and/or subnational jurisdictions. Method: A pre-registered systematic review of policy decisions from March to May 2020, in Australia/New South Wales, Canada/Ontario, Chile, Italy and the United Kingdom. One author extracted the data for each jurisdiction using a country-specific search strategy of government documents. We coded policy changes using an adapted WHO classification scheme, whether the policy was expected to tighten or loosen alcohol control, have mainly immediate or delayed impact on consumption and harm and impact the general population versus specific populations. We present descriptive statistics of policy change. Results: We developed a classification scheme with four levels. Existing policy options were insufficient to capture policy changes in alcohol availability, thus we added seventeen new sub-categories. We found 114 alcohol control policies introduced across the five jurisdictions, covering five (out of ten) WHO action areas. The majority aimed to change alcohol availability, by regulating the operation of alcohol outlets. All countries introduced closures to on-premise alcohol outlets and, except Chile, allowed off-sales via take away or home delivery. We also observed several pricing policies introducing subsidies to support the alcohol industry. Seventy-four percent of policy changes were expected to tighten alcohol control and 12.3 % to weaken control. Weakening policy changes were mostly related to retail mode switching or expansion (allowing take away or home delivery). Conclusion: Alcohol control policies during the first three months of the COVID-19 pandemic were targeted primarily at alcohol availability and about one tenth might weaken alcohol control. Tem

This study tested the Politicized Identification Model of Intention to Vote as an integrated model of political participation and Self-Determination Theory to understand what motivates young people to vote and inform policy and communication efforts. Results of path analyses on survey data from a representative sample of 1,960 young Italians (age range 20 to 35 years) revealed that Participative Efficacy positively and negatively predicted internalized motivation and amotivation, respectively. In addition, Politicized Identification mediated the positive relation between the internalized motivations and Intention to vote. Lastly, amotivation negatively predicted voting intention. Civic education campaigns should promote young people’s awareness that they can contribute to society by voting (i.e., participative efficacy) and support internalized motivations to vote.

Food Game is a gamified school-based intervention that aims to promote healthier dietary choices (i.e., adherence to the Mediterranean diet) and more sustainable behaviors among high school students in an urban area in Northern Italy. The program consists of an offline and online competition in which groups of students participate in peer-led activities to design and communicate products promoting health and sustainability. This study aimed to examine how the program works in practice, understand its mechanisms of change and assess any variation in student outcomes. A mixed methods process evaluation was conducted. Students completed a three-wave longitudinal survey and participated in focus groups. Program staff and teachers were also interviewed. Qualitative and quantitative data analyses indicate that Food Game?s gamification strategy was successful in engaging students, who felt stimulated by the game, its embedded competition and the self-organized group work. Although no significant change in adherence to the Mediterranean diet was found, pro-environmental behaviors, attitudes and perceived peer approval on healthy eating increased over time. Findings provide preliminary support for Food Game as an acceptable and engaging intervention though there is yet not sufficient evidence that it is also promotes healthier and more sustainable behaviors. The results contribute to the limited evidence base for offline gamified school-based interventions and offer insight into the applicability of the gamification approach as a key motivational strategy in other prevention settings and contexts. Suggestions on how to strengthen the program include dosage increase and addition of activities to promote change on relevant school and community factors.

To review and analyse how youth involvement was conceptualised and applied in published alcohol and drug preventive interventions. A systematic review of the scientific literature on alcohol and drug prevention where young people (18–29 years old) participated at any stage of the intervention was conducted. We searched relevant bibliographic databases and online repositories for peer-reviewed studies published between 2001 and 2021. Twenty-seven articles reporting on studies in different countries and settings and using a variety of intervention strategies were eligible for inclusion. The analysis of the stages of youth involvement and the dimension of power sharing in decision-making showed that only a minority of studies could be considered genuinely youth-led whereas many involved young people merely as implementers of highly controlled research-led interventions. However, the few studies that promoted sustained youth involvement struggled with translating results into rigorously evaluated interventions, thus demonstrating a tension between adoption of effective interventions and support to genuinely participatory processes. Knowledge gaps and implications for practice and research are discussed from a participatory research perspective.

In the face of the first wave of COVID-19 contagion, citizens all over the world experienced concerns for their safety and health, as well as prolonged lockdowns - which brought about limitations but also unforeseen opportunities for personal growth. Broad variability in these psychological responses to such unprecedented experiences emerged. This study addresses this variability by investigating the role of personal and community resilience. Personal resilience, collective resilience, community disaster management ability, provided information by local authorities, and citizens' focus on COVID-19-related personal concerns and lockdown-related opportunities for personal growth were detected through an online questionnaire. Multilevel modelling was run with data from 3,745 Italian citizens. The potential of personal resilience as a driver for individuals to overcome adverse situations with positive outcomes was confirmed. Differently, the components of community resilience showed more complex paths, highlighting the need to pay more attention to its role in the face of far-reaching adverse events which hardly test individuals' as well as communities' adaptability and agency skills. The complexities linked to the multi-component and system-specific nature of resilience, as well as potential paths towards making the most out of citizens' and communities' ones, emerge. The theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Aims: To examine psychometric properties of the Daily Drinking Questionnaire (DDQ) in a Mediterranean “wet” drinking culture. Methods: Three studies were conducted using random samples drawn from a representative sample of Italian young adults (N = 5,955; females = 62%; mean age = 27): Study 1 explored the factorial structure of weekly alcohol consumption; in Study 2 multi-group confirmatory factor analysis tested measurement invariance across gender; Study 3 applied item response theory analysis to: a) assess how each item discriminated between different alcohol consumption levels; and b) determine if drink propensity on a given day of the week varied according to individual characteristics. Results: In Study 1, a one-factor solution with no clear differentiation between weekdays and weekend alcohol use was found. Study 2 confirmed measurement invariance of the onefactor solution across gender. Results of Study 3 indicated that alcohol use on weekdays (Monday to Thursday) provided more information on overall alcohol consumption than alcohol use on weekends (Friday to Sunday). Discussion: Cultural differences of alcohol use are reflected in relatively simple alcohol measures, such as the DDQ. In contrast with peers from “dry” drinking cultures, Italian young women and men do not clearly differentiate between weekdays and weekend drinking. In Italy, the DDQ best captures participants’ average alcohol consumption levels rather than light or heavy, and should be used in national epidemiological research accordingly.

The COVID-19 pandemic experience had a major impact on adolescents' relational lives. The abrupt change in habits led adolescents to revise their relationships with respect to family, friends, and school; they suffered greatly because of this but, at the same time, were able to discover new resources and possibilities. The present paper aims to give adolescents a voice by exploring their experiences of the change that the pandemic period brought about in their life and significant relationships as well as by examining whether quarantine and social isolation provided opportunities for personal growth and transformation. The participants were 66 adolescents (between 16 and 19 years old). A qualitative method was adopted with a semi-structured interview that investigated changes in the main relational areas. The results offer an insight into the lives of adolescents during the lockdown in Italy, allowing us to "hear their voice." The results highlight the adolescents' struggle to cope with the change, suffering from the many limitations but also experiencing increased self-awareness, reflectivity, and responsibility.

This chapter discusses prominent theories of and research into the connections between cross-border mobility, mental health and health behaviour among young people. Theories touch on key elements of the travelling experience, such as acculturation and cross-cultural adaptation, offering opportunities for intervention and policy development to safeguard young people’s health, reduce costs for healthcare systems and achieve the best potential of the experience abroad.

The aim of this study is to examine the association between citizens' perceptions of the effectiveness of the institutional response, their connection and responsibility to their community (Sense of Community—SoC; Sense of Community Responsibility—SoC-R), and their personal and social concerns about the current emergency and their perceptions of a postpandemic future during the first COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Another variable considered was the personal reflexivity about the COVID-19 pandemic. 3925 Italian adults completed an online questionnaire during the first COVID-19 lockdown. A structural equation model with mediation was tested. Institutional effectiveness was associated with SoC, SoC-R, current social concerns, and perceptions of a postpandemic future. SoC and SoC-R were associated with current personal and social concerns, and perceptions of a postpandemic future. Reflexivity was negatively associated with SoC and positively associated with SoC-R, mediating the relationships between SoC, SoC-R and current personal and social concerns and perceptions of a postpandemic future. Findings indicate the need to adopt a perspective that considers individual and socio-political levels and their interaction to better understand the impact of the pandemic during a national lockdown.

Background The efficacy of public measures for reducing the transmission of the COVID-19 infection relies on citizens’ voluntary adherence with prescribed actions. Drawing on prior literature about compliant behavior, this study aimed to identify factors associated with people engagement in health-protective behaviors by including a conjoint complement of instrumental/self-oriented, normative/community-based, and affective variables. Method A cross-sectional study involving a non-representative sample of 4045 Italian citizens was carried out during the first stage of the pandemic (April–May 2020). Variables associated with health-protective behaviors were perceived personal and societal concerns and perceived effectiveness of the institutional response to the outbreak (instrumental dimensions), and family and friends perceived norms and sense of community responsibility (normative dimensions). Two negative emotions (anxiety and fear) were included as mediators between personal and societal concerns and outcome behaviors. Results Results showed the importance of both self-interest and community-based factors. Indeed, self-interest concerns, family perceived norms, and sense of community responsibility were significant predictors of people’s decisions to engage in health-protective behaviors. Conclusions The research findings show that compliance with public health prescriptions is a multimodal phenomenon and integrating self-interest and community-based factors can offer a better understanding of people’s decision to engage in health-protective behaviors. Further, this study unveils that a shared sense of community is effective in encouraging adherence to recommended behaviors so as behavioral changes can be sustained by targeting the recommendations not only on risk minimization for oneself but also on the allocation of personal responsibility toward the belonging community.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused abrupt and profound changes to teaching and learning. The present study seeks to understand adolescents’ experiences of the emergency adoption of online school learning (OSL) during the first national lockdown in Italy. Sixty-four students in their final two years of high school were interviewed and content analysis was performed. The findings describe students’ views of the changes related to OSL according to structural, individual and relational dimensions. Schools’ lack of organization, overwhelming demands, as well as experience of difficulties in concentration, stress and inhibited relationships with teachers and classmates were among the challenges evidenced in the transition. OSL, however, has also made it possible to experience a new flexibility and autonomy in the organization of learning. The study stresses the importance of fostering adaptation of teacher-student relationships and collaborative learning in order to improve schools’ preparedness for digital transitions in and out of emergencies.

We aimed to identify the patterns of prosocial behaviours under collective quarantine conditions. Survey data were collected from a sample of Italian adults during the March May 2020 COVID-19 lockdown in Italy. Participants reported on offline and online prosocial behaviours, sense of community responsibility (SoC-R) and perceptions of community resilience. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used for data analysis. A total of 4,045 participants completed the survey, and 2,562 were eligible (72% female; mean age 38.7 years). LCA revealed four classes of prosocial behaviours: Money donors (7%), Online and offline helpers (59%), Online health information sharers (21%) and Neighbour helpers (13%). The classes were partially invariant across age groups (18-35 and 35-65 years). Being a man, having achieved a higher educational level and higher SoC-R scores were associated with belonging to the Online and offline helper class. The members of this class also reported the greatest perceptions of community resilience. The results provide insight on the multidimensionality of prosociality under collective quarantine conditions. Online and offline helpers could be targeted for promoting sustained altruism and involvement in community organisations. For the other groups, programmes should aim at eliminating barriers to help others in multiple ways. Please refer to the Supplementary Material section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement.

There is growing support for viewing communities as a multilevel construct in which the interdependence between individuals and community systems contributes to the promotion of individual responsibilities in thinking and enacting changes to respond to people’s and community’s needs. However, there is currently scant evidence regarding the influence of psychological sense of community and the role of community assets on prosocial behavior during the COVID-19 national lockdown. The main aim of the current study was to test a conceptual model of community assets as predictors of prosocial behavior during Italy’s COVID-19 national lockdown. A sample of 3,964 Italian adults was involved in the current study. We collected data using an online questionnaire, between April 12 and May 21, 2020, during the nationwide lockdown restrictions. To collect data, we employed convenience and virtual snowball sampling strategies (i.e., email, social networks, and online channels). Using structural equation modeling, we found that prosocial behavior was predicted by sense of community responsibility but not by sense of community. Moreover, sense of community and sense of community responsibility were predicted by community members’ perception of its assets, in particular collective resilience and adequate information. Finally, trust in the institutional response to the pandemic predicted community members’ perception of collective resilience and receiving adequate information through the community. The present study suggests that community qualities, positively perceived by community members, are crucial in promoting prosocial behaviors and producing collective goods during a pandemic.

Research on travelling populations indicates that geographic mobility is associated with changes in health behaviours. However, there is currently little longitudinal data recording study abroad students' health behaviours other than alcohol use [1,2], and that includes a variety of risk and protective factors related to students' demographics and their experiences abroad. The present dataset contains the original longitudinal data from a study of European study abroad students' and includes information on participants health-related behaviour: including physical exercise, diet, alcohol and drug use, and unprotected casual sex. Self-reported data were collected across three waves: on arrival in the host country, to assess pre-departure behaviour (T1), four months through the period abroad (T2), and four months after returning home (T3). Data on factors related to participants' demographics and their abroad experience, including motivations to study abroad, acculturation orientation and adjustment to the host environment, and perceptions regarding different referent peers’ drinking behaviour were also collected. Data were collected in the 2015–2016 academic year. At T1 students in 200 cities from more than 40 European countries were approached by representatives from an international student association. Participants who completed at least two surveys were included (N = 908). The T1 survey was completed by 899 students (nine students provided an e-mail address but did not complete the survey at T1), 785 (86.5%) completed T2 survey, and 438 (48.2%) the T3 survey. The data article presents tables charting variables measured by survey wave and participants' socio-demographic and study abroad experience characteristics. With an acceptable drop-out across the three waves, these data may be of interest to researchers who wish to understand factors related to changes in health behaviours in this population and develop targeted health promotion interventions. Other stakehold

Focus group data from 92 youths from Italy and the U.S.A. indicate that Italians and Americans differ in perceived threshold of acceptability of drinking to excess. Youth from the U.S.A. were more accepting of intoxication than Italian youth, reflecting features of each respective dominant drinking culture. Alcohol gender double standards existed in both countries and were conceptually connected to sexuality. However, the social construction behind such connections differed across the two groups: focusing on harms to the woman in the U.S.A. and the respectability of her social group in Italy.

This study re-analysed longitudinal data on international students’ alcohol use to demonstrate the practical value of person-centred statistical techniques, such as Latent Class Analysis (LCA) and its longitudinal extension Latent Transition Analysis (LTA). These techniques offer new analytic perspectives, can reveal typologies (i.e., subpopulations characterized by different profiles) and examine change (i.e., transition probabilities) in outcomes of interest. The use of these approaches remains limited in the intercultural research field, however. A step-by-step guide to the use of LCA and LTA is presented. The analyses demonstrate how alcohol use profiles can be identified, how transitions across profiles as students move from home to overseas can be examined and are affected by students’ motivation to study abroad and their adjustment to the host environment. The validity for study abroad students of the four-class model of drinker types found in other populations was confirmed. Results, however, challenge the dominant view that most students increase alcohol intake during study abroad experiences, and indicate that moderate drinkers are at greatest risk of transitioning to heavy drinking as they travel abroad. Implications and suggestions for use of these statistical techniques by intercultural research specialists are discussed.

Cosa significa essere giovani cittadini attivi? E attraverso quali modalità i giovani di oggi lo sono partecipando all’interno delle loro comunità? Quali sono i motivi per cui un giovane si impegna nel proprio contesto di appartenenza? Quali sono i valori che lo muovono? Queste sono solo alcune delle domande a cui il presente capitolo intende rispondere partendo dall’analisi delle scelte di partecipazione dei giovani in relazione al proprio passato e all’impegno attuale. Nel capitolo verranno presentati in primo luogo i temi della partecipazione e della cittadinanza attiva in ambito psicologico (par. 2), le principali forme partecipative, il volontariato e il Servizio civile universale (par. 3). Il paragrafo 4 sarà dedicato alla presentazione degli obiettivi della ricerca che sarà descritta e illustrata nel paragrafo 5. Il paragrafo 6 presenterà i risultati. Chiuderanno il capitolo alcune riflessioni conclusive (par. 7).

This chapter describes perspectives on studying cultural differences in alcohol consumption and reviews the relevant literature. After introducing the concept of culture and the main approaches used to study drinking cultures, different conceptualisations of such cultures are discussed. The chapter includes a systematic review of the recent literature on drinking cultures. It ends with a discussion of strengths and weaknesses of existing literature on drinking cultures, gaps in the field and directions for future research.

This chapter discusses prominent theories of and research into the connections between cross-border mobility, mental health and health behaviour among young people. Theories touch on key elements of the travelling experience, such as acculturation and cross-cultural adaptation, offering opportunities for intervention and policy development to safeguard young people’s health, reduce costs for healthcare systems, and achieve the best potential of the experience abroad.

The quality of the mentor–mentee relationship is considered the key mechanism of change in mentoring programmes, and volunteer mentor retention is crucial to improving delivery and outcomes. Combining theoretical frameworks on mentoring programmes and volunteerism, this study aimed to examine: (a) programme and school predictors of mentoring relationship closeness and (b) the relations between mentor-reported relationship closeness, satisfaction with the relationship as a measure of subjective evaluations of their work and expressed intention to continue mentoring in the future. Volunteer mentors (N = 103, mean age = 65 years, 75% female) from a school-based mentoring programme in Italy completed a survey. Results of path analyses revealed that relationship closeness was associated in a positive manner with perceptions of the adequacy of the mentoring session setting, and programme support, but not teacher support. In addition, mentors' satisfaction partially mediated the connection between relationship closeness and intention to remain in the programme. Implications for practice are discussed. Please refer to the Supplementary Material section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine factors associated with volunteer role identity in mentors of school-based mentoring programmes. Design/methodology/approach: Drawing on established theoretical models of volunteerism (the Role Identity Model), and research and theory on mentoring programmes, an integrated model of predictors of mentor volunteer role identity was tested. Seventy-one mentors (63 females, mean age 36 years) completed a survey with measures of habit, subjective norms, satisfaction with the mentor-mentee relationship, relationship closeness, social skills and mentor role identity. Path analysis was used for data analysis. Findings: Fit indexes revealed an acceptable fit to the data. There were six significant paths. Habit and subjective norms were directly related to role identity. The association between mentor role identity and two further predictors, satisfaction with the mentor–mentee relationship and social skills was respectively fully and partially mediated by relationship closeness. Practical implications: Findings can inform mentoring programmes in supporting mentors to develop a close relationship with their mentees and promote the development of a role identity as a volunteer among mentors. A stronger role identity is in turn expected to enhance mentor retention in the programme. Originality/value: An important and novel finding of this study is that relationship closeness contributes to mentors developing a volunteer role identity. Also, for the first time, the importance for mentors of support from significant others in fostering sustained volunteer engagement has been examined.

The aim was to establish and validate the Multidimensional Motivations to Study Abroad Scale (MMSAS) to measure university Credit Mobility Students' (CMSs) reasons (e.g., academic, cross-cultural, personal growth) for studying abroad. The instrument was administered to a multi-language sample of 1333 European CMSs. The final measure included 27 items.Results supported nine factors for the English (both for native English speakers and the version for non-native English speakers), French, German, Italian, and Spanish versions; invariance across languages was demonstrated and evidence for construct validity is provided. Further research should explore the relevance of this measure to other populations (e.g., other languages, degree mobility students) and determine the relationship with students' experiences and behaviours abroad.

I giovani europei, come hanno vissuto i primi momenti dell' emergenza sanitaria da Covid-19? Il loro stato d’animo — indicatore di benessere — è stato influenzato dalla pandemia? Come è cambiato? Quanto si sono sentiti a rischio? Qual è stato l’impatto della pandemia sulle loro relazioni? E sulla loro identità nazionale? Il capitolo si propone di dare una risposta a queste domande, analizzando un campione di 6000 giovani adulti di età compresa fra i 18 e i 34 anni residenti in Italia, Regno Unito, Germania, Francia e Spagna., Young Europeans, how did they experience the early months of the Covid-19 health emergency? Was their state of mind - an indicator of well-being - affected by the pandemic? How did it change? How much did they feel at risk? What was the impact of the pandemic on their relationships? And on their national identity?This chapter aims to answer these questions by analyzing a sample of 6,000 young adults between the ages of 18 and 34 living in Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Spain.

La ricerca ha dimostrato che i programmi di mentoring rappresentano una strategia efficace per lo sviluppo positivo dei bambini a rischio scolastico e psicosociale. Lo studio descrive una valutazione di processo del Programma Mentore (PM), un programma di mentoring scolastico attivo in quattro città italiane. Per ricostruire il modello logico del PM è stata effettuata un’analisi dei documenti e sono state condotte interviste semi-strutturate allo staff e a quattro insegnanti referenti nelle scuole. I risultati hanno consentito di descrivere le caratteristiche del programma (modello logico) e confrontarle con i criteri indicati dalle linee guida internazionali sulle pratiche di mentoring efficaci. Il contributo offre altresì una rilettura delle strategie del PM alla luce dei principi della Psicologia di Comunità.

Aims: To compare the drinking cultures of youth in the USA and in Italy. Method: Sequential explanatory mixed method design. Phase 1: Multigroup latent class analysis was used to identify subgroups of drinkers from samples of 424 (61.3% female) Italian and 323 American college students (57.3% female). Phase 2: Focus group interviews with 41 Italian and 47 American youth were used to collect narratives on features of the two drinking cultures. Results: Four partially invariant subgroups of drinkers were found. Most participants (>75%) in both countries concentrated drinking during weekends. Overall, US drinkers displayed greater probabilities to report risky drinking behaviors and experience negative consequences as compared to comparable subgroups of Italian drinkers. Discrepancies in terms of socialisation processes during childhood (i.e. permissiveness) and underlying cultural assumptions with regard to alcohol consumption (i.e. purposes of alcohol use) may explain differences in how alcohol is used in the two countries. Conclusions: Findings suggest that there are crucial differences in societal schema of beliefs, informal social norms, practices, and values attached to alcoholic beverages across the USA and Italy. These results demonstrate the need for culturally tailored alcohol preventive interventions and clinical practice targeted to young people that capitalise on such differences.

Background: The present work proposes to explore a phenomenon well known in the world of blood donation, but little explored by literature: multi-affiliations. By that term, in this paper we mean blood donors' engagement in multiple associations of various natures (donation, recreation, sports, etc.) simultaneously.The first objective proposes to explore the phenomenon of multi-affiliations in descriptive terms; the second is to look into the differences-in terms of motivations, family-work-volunteerism reconciliation, life satisfaction, and membership satisfaction-between those who "only" carry out blood donation activity and those who instead participate in multiple associative realities concurrently. Method: Participating in the research were 2674 donors from the Italian Association of Blood Donors (AVIS) (age range 18-65; 66.6% male) to which a self-report questionnaire was administered in the waiting rooms of numerous blood donation centers. Results: Regarding the first objective, it emerged that only 35.9% of the participants "only" donate blood, while a good 64.1% is engaged also in other associations. Regarding the second objective, statistically significant differences emerge regarding many of the variables considered: social, values, ego-protection, and career motivation; capacity to reconcile family-volunteering and work-volunteering; life satisfaction; and membership satisfaction. Conclusions: The study offers precious information to the agencies that handle recruiting and retaining of donors. The agencies in fact can take away information on how to improve the multi-affiliations of their donors, an aspect that can facilitate their long-term retention.

Community psychologists address social inequalities and problems by employing ecological principles, multiple methodologies, and participatory approaches to empower individuals, organizations, and communities to organize action and systems change. This article aims to contribute to mixed methods literature by presenting three models of mixed methods participatory research across a variety of geographic and sociocultural contexts. The models outline participatory processes and points of qualitative and quantitative data integration. Challenges related to the interplay between participatory approaches and mixed methods studies as well as implications on social science research are discussed.

Il contributo si occupa della diffusione di alcuni importanti comportamenti a rischio (come avere rapporti sessuali occasionali non protetti, il consumo di droghe, l’abuso di alcol), mettendoli in relazione con norme sociali, tipologia di rapporto con i genitori e dimensione morale. Se esistono molte ricerche su questo tema, rare sono quelle su un campione rappresentativo che non si limitano a descrivere i comportamenti, ma anche a comprendere i fattori che li favoriscono «in ottica di intervento» (ivi, p. 182). Studiare le condizioni di vulnerabilità psicologica e sociale dei giovani è particolarmente importante, dato che in questa fase del ciclo di vita l’iniziazione e l’escalation di comportamenti a rischio «possono strutturarsi in difficoltà che perdurano per tutto il corso dell’esistenza della persona» (ivi, p. 158). I dati indicano che non si tratta di comportamenti nel complesso marginali, dato che quasi un intervistato su due dichiara di aver tenuto almeno una delle condotte a rischio negli ultimi dodici mesi; la frequenza è però spesso occasionale. In questo contributo emerge un quadro articolato e non scontato. Alti, ad esempio, risultano i punteggi sulla dimensione dei fondamenti morali, mostrando come larga parte dei giovani possieda principi morali e riconosca il valore delle norme sociali. Si conferma, inoltre, come lo sviluppo della dimensione morale e la qualità della relazione con i genitori siano in rapporto tra di loro e abbiano una funzione protettiva relativamente ai comportamenti a rischio e alla loro frequenza.

Context: Uremic pruritus, or itch, is common in people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and has a negative impact on their lives and well-being. However, for reasons currently unknown, itch often remains unreported and therefore untreated. Objectives: To explore reasons for underreporting of itch to provide pointers for improving itch reporting and management in people with CKD. Methods: We interviewed adult patients with CKD who self-reported experiencing itching in the last three years (n = 25), nephrologists (n = 10), and nurses (n = 12) from three kidney services in the U.K. Topic guides were informed by previous studies and a theoretical model of self-regulation. We conducted a thematic analysis of verbatim transcripts using framework analysis. Results: We identified the following three main themes reflecting factors that may influence whether itch is reported: knowledge on causes and treatment of itch (lack of awareness of the relationship between itch and CKD, and lack of knowledge of treatment options); attitudes toward importance of itch as a health issue (patients' and clinicians' attitudes); and prompts for itch assessment during consultations (routine practice, itch as a marker, and itch severity). Conclusion: Underreporting of itch is related to patients being unaware of its causes, accepting it as something to live with, prioritizing other health issues, and the length and timing of consultations. Health care professionals' assessment and management of itch vary widely and are not necessarily evidence-based. Better patient information, development of clinical practice guidelines, and incorporation of routine symptom assessments into care may improve itch reporting and management in people with CKD.

Il consumo di bevande alcoliche è un fenomeno sociale variegato, viene studiato da molteplici discipline e studiosi di diversa formazione ed è analizzato da differenti punti di vista, ciò lo rende un fenomeno quanto mai complesso da analizzare e difficile da rinchiudere in letture mono disciplinari. Il capitolo presenta le due visioni, non necessariamente in contrapposizione, utilizzate per comprendere il fenomeno, quella clinica ed epidemiologica e quella che possiamo chiamare socio-culturale. A seguire viene illustrato lo stato dell’arte sul tema del consumo di alcolici da parte dei giovani adulti. Il presente contributo intende offrire una descrizione delle modalità con cui i giovani adulti italiani consumano alcolici con particolare riferimento ai fattori di rischio e protezione descritti nel paragrafo precedente, cercando inoltre di inquadrare il fenomeno all'interno della cornice culturale in cui si inserisce. Nello specifico sono stati indagati la prevalenza dei comportamenti di consumo a rischio e i problemi alcol-correlati nella popolazione a seconda di alcune caratteristiche demografiche come il genere, la fascia d’età, nonché fattori quali l’età di iniziazione al bere, cioè l’età del primo consumo di una bevanda alcolica, le motivazioni sottese al bere e all’astenersi dallo stesso, le percezioni delle norme sociali del gruppo dei pari e della società, l'adozione di altri comportamenti a rischio per la salute, quali il consumo di tabacco, cannabinoidi e altre sostanze psicoattive. Infine, si è proceduto a confrontare i gruppi di coloro che hanno dichiarato di avere messo in atto comportamenti di binge drinking nell’ultimo mese (“bevitori a rischio”) e coloro che hanno dichiarato di non averlo fatto (“bevitori non a rischio”). Il campione di questo studio (N = 9.358) è rappresentativo dei giovani italiani di età compresa fra i 18 e i 29 anni. Dall’analisi dei dati emerge che nonostante l’immagine a tinte fosche dei giovani italiani che viene di

Background: Travelling away from home can be associated with fewer limits on behavior, particularly for students who participate in exchange programs. Aims: To examine the effects of eight moderators on change in alcohol use and related negative outcomes, drug use and unprotected sexual behavior in European study abroad students before, during, and after their time abroad. Methods: A three wave (before departure, while abroad, and after their return) longitudinal design collecting data on the frequency and volume of alcohol consumed, heavy episodic drinking, alcohol-related outcomes, drug use, and unprotected casual sex. Results: The baseline survey was completed by 1145 students participating in one or two semester exchange programs (67.5% spent up to a semester abroad), of which 906 participated in two or more waves, representing 42 and 33 countries of origin and destination, respectively. Mean age was 22.2 years (SD = 2.28) and 72.7% were female. Students increased the amount of alcohol consumed by 35% (B = 0.32; 95% CI 0.287–0.349) and experienced more alcohol-related consequences (B = 0.15; 95% CI 0.089–0.219) during the study abroad experience, though levels fell below pre-departure levels when they returned home. Factors related to greater alcohol use while abroad include pre-departure expectations about alcohol use during the study abroad experience, psychological adjustment to the host country, academic involvement, and host country living costs. No statistically meaningful change in drug use and unprotected sexual behavior was observed. Conclusions: Studying abroad exposes European students to additional time-limited alcohol-related health risks.

Few studies have cross-nationally tested the mediators of the relationship between alcohol use and subjective well-being among university students. This study examined how self-reported psychological distress symptoms mediate the association between alcohol use (drinking frequency and binge-drinking frequency) and subjective well-being among 637 Serbian and 705 Italian university students. Psychological distress mediated the negative relationship between binge-drinking frequency and subjective well-being among Serbians (partial mediation) and Italians (full mediation). Drinking frequency was not associated with psychological distress or subjective well-being. Binge drinking may negatively affect subjective well-being among university students by enhancing symptoms of psychological distress.

Ogni anno più di 25.000 studenti universitari Italiani (Study Abroad Students - SAS) trascorrono un periodo di studio in un paese straniero grazie a programmi di mobilità internazionale come l’Erasmus. La ricerca sui SAS americani ed i risultati di uno studio pilota su un campione italiano hanno indicato che, durante il periodo all’estero, gli studenti aumentano significativamente la quantità di alcol consumata e la frequenza di comportamenti a rischio, come il binge drinking. Uno studio qualitativo ha, inoltre, suggerito che diversi fattori, tra cui una rappresentazione stereotipata dei SAS come forti bevitori, possono promuovere un aumento del consumo di alcolici nel corso del periodo all’estero. Le finalità del presente studio è quella di indagare i predittori, in particolare le norme sociali percepite relative al bere nei pari, del consumo di alcolici durante il periodo all’estero. Il campione è composto da 200 studenti di una grande università del Nord Italia che hanno partecipato ad un programma di scambio nel corso dell’anno accademico 2015/2016. Il consumo di alcolici è stato misurato prima e nel corso dell’esperienza all’estero. L’analisi dati è stata effettuata tramite una regressione multipla utilizzando come variabile indipendente il numero di standard drink alcolici bevuti nel corso di una settimana nel paese straniero. I risultati preliminari mostrano che le norme sociali percepite predicono la quantità di alcol consumata durante il periodo di studio all’estero. I risultati saranno discussi alla luce della letteratura sul fenomeno insieme alle ricadute applicative in termini di promozione della salute in questa popolazione di studenti.

In our contemporary age, where a combination of individualism and mutual distrust is unhappily common among people and society is “liquid” and disoriented, so-called intermediate units (groups, associations) are a precious resource that promotes positive coexistence within organizations and in local communities, too. The present contribution describes an example of such an intermediate unit, the Talent Club, located in a peripheral neighborhood of a metropolitan area in northern Italy. This case study shows the development of positive living and working together in organizations and their transformation in the tool for community development and good coexistence. Qualitative and quantitative data show that the relational aspect is crucial because it promotes authentic exchange among people, supporting participation and social cohesion against self-referential habits and isolation. Although at present the Talent Club is mostly functioning in a affiliating coexistence among members, seeds of a more generative coexistence are clearly detectable.

The present research aims at investigating if motivations and social norms can determine satisfaction with organization - understood as an indicator of organizational well-being - in blood donation. Moreover, this study analyses the relations of organizational satisfaction on integration in the organization and identification with it in order to pursue research on prosocial behaviour volunteer retention. 2464 blood donors were contacted. The present work has important applicative implications as it can give guidance to blood donation organizations regarding factors determining attraction and maintenance of donors.

Aims: To examine changes in alcohol intake and consequences in Italian students studying abroad. Methods: Italian exchange students planning to study abroad were invited to report on their drinking and alcohol-related negative consequences before and after their time abroad. Results: After excluding those who abstained throughout, data on 121 students were analysed and showed that they tended to consume more alcohol and experience more alcohol-related negative consequences compared to their pre-departure levels. Conclusion: The added alcohol risk of study abroad for Italian students merits consideration of possible opportunities for intervention.

Background: University students who complete study abroad experiences are potentially exposed to behaviors, in particular alcohol and drug use, that place their health at risk. There is a need to identify risk and protective factors and highlight knowledge gaps. Methods: A systematic review adopting the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology. Relevant bibliographic databases and online repositorieswere systematically searched for both qualitative and quantitative peer-reviewed studies. Results: Eighteen articles were eligible for inclusion. Degree mobility students (DMSs—students pursuing a full bachelor or master degree in a foreign country) and Credit Mobility Students (CMSs—students participating in short term or semester study abroad programmes) show different patterns of at-risk behaviors compared to pre-departure, and to domestic or non-study abroad students. DMSs mostly consumed less alcohol and illicit substances compared to domestic students, but little information on pre-travel behavior and predictors of at-risk behaviors while abroad was available on DMSs. Most studies indicated that CMSs increased their alcohol use while abroad and reduced it when they returned home.However, there is no evidence of an increase in the negative consequences associated with alcohol misuse while abroad. Different pre-departure and abroad factors (e.g., perceptions of peer drinking norms, psychological and sociocultural adjustment abroad) were related to at-risk behaviors in the host country. Conclusions: University students who study abroad are understudied and potentially at risk from alcohol and drug use. Knowledge gaps are discussed in relation to possible future qualitative, mixed methods and longitudinal research.

The aim was to explore shared representations of alcohol use in students who were to travel abroad to study. Focus group data from Italian students (N = 69) were collected. Analyses used Grounded Theory Methodology and were informed by the four key components of Social Representation Theory (cognition, emotion, attitude and behavioural intentions). The study abroad experience was described as one that would involve an increase in alcohol consumption compared to pre-departure levels. Reasons given included greater social and leisure opportunities involving alcohol, reduced social control and features of the host country environment. Opportunities to intervene and address risky alcohol use in this group are discussed.

The present study examined the meaning and functions of drinking across different nightlife settings (e.g., bars, dance clubs) in a sample of Italian young adults. A Grounded Theory recursive and iterative process of data collection, through 10 focus group interviews, and data analysis revealed the complex and dynamic nature of young people’s experience of drinking in nightlife settings. Results indicated that three major categories of social nightlife settings associated with different meanings and uses of alcohol: a more moderate social drinking in bars, a pursuit of a desired level of intoxication in dancing settings, like nightclubs, with festivities and celebratory settings most associated with alcohol abuse and heavy drunkenness as a mean to maximize the celebration and the uniqueness of the event. The core category emerging was related to the collective social process of youngsters optimizing alcohol intake throughout the night to find and maintain a desired level of intoxication (‘just the right buzz’) in dancing settings, to reach a controlled disinhibition to get what they consider positive outcomes minimizing negative ones. Results can be informative for other cultural regions too where differences in the drinking experience across nightlife settings have not been fully addressed yet.

Non disponibile.

Aims The goals of the current study were to identify latent classes of alcohol users among Italian emerging adults (18–33 years), examine differences in the class solution based on socio-demographic characteristics, and examine whether differences exist across classes in experiencing different types of alcohol-related negative consequences. Methods Participants (N = 5955; 62.72% female; mean age 27.19 years) were drawn from a pre-recruited Web panel designed to be representative of the Italian young adults (18–33 years) population. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify common patterns of alcohol use. Results Four classes of drinking patterns were identified: (a) Current Nondrinkers (15%); (b) Weekend Non-Risky Drinkers (51%); (c) Weekend Risky Drinkers (20%); and (d) Daily Drinkers (13%). The number and type of classes did not differ across several demographic variables, although proportions within classes varied by sex, age, occupation status and geographic area. Weekend Risky Drinkers experienced the greatest number of alcohol-related negative consequences. Conclusions The great majority of the sample displayed drinking patterns with relatively infrequent involvement in risky drinking. Preventive interventions should, instead, target those who drink alcohol on weekends only, but show the greatest negative consequences. Short Summary Four classes of drinking patterns were identified in a large representative sample of Italian young adults. The great majority of the sample displayed drinking patterns with relatively little involvement in risky drinking, though those misusing alcohol at weekends were at greatest risk to experience alcohol-related negative consequences.

Despite there has been a growing interest in the study of gratitude, few studies have investigated which factors support and promote it; notably, no study has yet addressed ways in which parents could promote gratitude in their children. The present study aims to investigate the relation between parental emotional support and self-esteem through the mediation of gratitude. The analyses have been conducted considering both the maternal and the paternal roles. To that end, an explorative model has been proposed of these relations. A self-report questionnaire was administered to 279 15–19 year-old adolescents (M = 16.83, SD = .85) living in Northern Italy. Findings show that (a) the mother’s emotional support, but not the father’s, sustains gratitude, and (b) gratitude completely mediates the relation between maternal emotional support and self-esteem. Limitations and research implications are discussed.

Bere in discoteca, in un pub o in una piazza ha lo stesso significato e lo stesso valore? La letteratura internazionale, specialmente Anglosassone (si veda, ad esempio, Van Wersch e Walker, 2009), mostra alcune differenze nelle modalità del bere da parte dei giovani legate al contesto in cui avviene. I contesti all'interno dei quali l'alcol viene consumato, in quanto contesti sociali, portano con sé un set di regole e norme che definiscono come e quanto è appropriato bere, così come sottendono differenti motivazioni per bere. Se le discoteche sono spesso associate a maggiori rischi e a consumi più elevati, poco ancora si sa di come cambino le modalità di consumo di alcolici ed i significati ad esso attribuiti in altri e diversi contesti. Questo è particolarmente vero rispetto ai giovani Italiani che, a differenza dei coetanei Anglosassoni, appartengono alle cosiddette "culture della non-intossicazione" dove la prevalenza dell'abuso di alcolici è più bassa (Järvinen e Room, 2007). Il presente contributo cerca di rispondere a questi interrogativi riportando i risultati di due ricerche qualitative. La prima, basata sulla Grounded Theory, ha visto giovani tra i 18 ed i 29 anni discutere in gruppo sul tema del consumo dell’alcol nei contesti del divertimento notturno. Dalle parole dei giovani emerge la presenza di tre differenti contesti del consumo di alcolici - pub, discoteche e celebrazioni di eventi - con valenze e significati profondamente diversi in cui l’alcol viene utilizzato strategicamente per ottenere gli scopi desiderati: da un semplice accompagnamento alla conversazione con gli amici, fino a strumento di disinibizione grazie alle sue proprietà psicoattive. Superando descrizioni che enfatizzano l’idea che i giovani ricerchino esclusivamente l'ubriacatura, la ricerca qui presentata coglie il significato del bere come evento sociale. Da questo punto di vista, il contributo descrive in modo approfondito il processo di raggiungimento e mantenimento, in

The present study examined the meaning and functions of drinking across different nightlife settings (e.g., bars, dance clubs) in a sample of Italian young adults. A Grounded Theory recursive and iterative process of data collection, through 10 focus group interviews, and data analysis revealed the complex and dynamic nature of young people's experience of drinking in nightlife settings. Results indicated that three major categories of social nightlife settings associated with different meanings and uses of alcohol: a more moderate social drinking in bars, a pursuit of a desired level of intoxication in dancing settings, like nightclubs, with festivities and celebratory settings most associated with alcohol abuse and heavy drunkenness as a mean to maximize the celebration and the uniqueness of the event. The core category emerging was related to the collective social process of youngsters optimizing alcohol intake throughout the night to find and maintain a desired level of intoxication (‘just the right buzz’) in dancing settings, to reach a controlled disinhibition to get what they consider positive outcomes minimizing negative ones. Results can be informative for other cultural regions too where differences in the drinking experience across nightlife settings have not been fully addressed yet.

In the contemporary age, where individualism and mutual distrust are widespread among people, society is “liquid” and disoriented, the so-called intermediate units (groups, associations) promoting a positive coexistence within the organization itself are able to sustain positive coexistence in local communities too. The present contribution describes the Circolo dei talenti, an example of such an intermediate unit located in a peripheral neighborhood of a metropolitan area in Northern Italy. This case study shows how the development of a positive organizational coexistence has become the mean of community development and a better coexistence within the neighborhood. Qualitative and quantitative data show that the relational aspect is crucial in the Circolo dei talenti because it promotes authentic exchange and sharing behaviors among people, sustaining participation and social cohesion against self-referential habits and isolation. Although at this moment the Circolo dei Talenti is functioning mostly on an affiliative coexistence among members, seeds of a more generative coexistence are clearly detectable.

Objective: Study abroad students are at risk for increased and problematic drinking behavior. As few efforts have been made to examine this at-risk population, the authors predicted drinking and alcohol-related consequences abroad from predeparture and site-specific factors. Participants: The sample consisted of 339 students completing study abroad programs. Methods: Participants filled out onlinemeasures at predeparture, abroad, and at postreturn. Results: The authors found that drinking and consequences abroad were predicted by a number of factors, including demographics (eg, younger age, male sex, Greek affiliation, white ethnicity), student factors (eg, low GPA, major area of study), study abroad site fac- tors (eg, apartment living abroad, study in Europe), predeparture levels of drinking and consequences, sensation seeking, and goals related to social gathering. Conclusions: Findings can be used to inform campus policies for admission to study abroad programs as well as assist in the development of interventions targeted toward preventing risk for students during abroad experiences.