Samet Can Demirci, Süreyya Barun, Ahmet Özaslan, Özlem Gülbahar, Tuba Saadet Deveci Bulut, Aysu Duyan Çamurdan, Elvan İşeri. Clin Psychopharmacol Neurosci 2024;22:473-83. https://doi.org/10.9758/cpn.23.1149

Background: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a significant public health issue that negatively impacts individuals’ flourishing, social relationships, and life satisfaction. In recent years, the concept of recovery has been approached as encompassing not only the reduction or cessation of alcohol use but also the strengthening of positive psychology-based resources such as hope, social support, and developmental flourishing. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) groups are an important community-based intervention that can contribute to the development of these resources through mutual experience sharing and the 12-step program. This study aims to examine the effect of AA participation on flourishing and the mediating role of hope and perceived social support in this relationship. Methods: The study, conducted using a cross-sectional comparative design, included 245 participants from all official AA centers operating in Turkey’s seven geographical regions (low participation n = 109; high participation n = 136). Participants completed validated self-report scales: Flourishing Scale, Continuous Hope Scale, Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and DASS-21. Age, depression and stress were controlled as covariates in the analyses. Data were evaluated using MANCOVA and mediation analyses. Results: High levels of AA participation were found to be significantly associated with higher flourishing, hope, and perceived social support; and lower levels of depression and stress. Mediation analyses indicated that hope (indirect effect = 0.75, 95% CI [0.23, 1.29]) and perceived social support (indirect effect = 0.59, 95% CI [0.21, 1.07]) mediated the relationship between AA participation and flourishing. The final model explained 28% of the variance in flourishing (R² = 0.28, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Regular participation in AA is associated with reducing or ceasing alcohol use and with enhanced flourishing by strengthening hope and social support. These results highlight the critical role of positive psychology-based resources in the recovery process from addiction. Furthermore, as the study was conducted using data obtained from all official AA centers in Turkey, it reflects the socio-cultural diversity across the country and offers a unique contribution to the literature. Clinical trial number: Not applicable. Trial registration: Not applicable.

Family members of individuals with polysubstance substance use disorder (PSUD) face many stressors that negatively affect their quality of life (QoL). This study examined the mediating roles of internalized stigma and perceived caregiving burden in the relationship between psychological resilience and QoL among parents of individuals with PSUD. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 277 individuals consisting of mothers or fathers of individuals diagnosed with PSUD. Participants completed several instruments, including the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Parents’ Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale (adapted), Perceived Family Burden Scale, and WHOQOL-BREF. Data analyses included descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and serial mediation analysis performed using SPSS 27.0 and PROCESS macro (Model 6). Psychological resilience was positively associated with higher QoL and showed an indirect association with QoL through a sequential mediation involving internalized stigma and perceived care burden. The model explained 67% of the variance in QoL (R² = 0.672). Internalized stigma was associated with perceived care burden, which in turn was negatively associated with QoL. Our study emphasizes the importance of addressing psychological resilience, stigma, and caregiving burden together to improve the QoL of families affected by PSUD. Multifaceted interventions targeting these interrelated factors are recommended to improve the QoL of caregivers.

This study aimed to compare serum levels of CD163, YKL-40, and VILIP-1 between children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and healthy controls, while also investigating their association with the severity of ASD and language development. The study included 40 ASD-diagnosed patients (aged 1–6 years) and 40 age-matched healthy controls. Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), Preschool Language Scale-4 (PLS-4), and Ankara Development Screening İnventory (ADSI) were administered to children in the ASD group. Serum CD163, YKL-40 and VILIP-1 levels were measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. In the ASD group compared to the control group, serum VILIP-1 levels were significantly higher (p = 0.046). No significant differences were observed in mean serum CD163 and YKL-40 levels between patients and controls (p = 0.613, p = 0.769). Interestingly, a positive correlation was observed between CD163 and YKL-40 levels and ASD severity (p < 0.001 for both). Additionally, CD163 and YKL-40 levels showed significant predictive value for ASD severity. While no significant associations were found between CD163 and YKL-40 levels and language development, a negative correlation was observed between VILIP-1 levels and language development (p < 0.001). Our findings highlight that the levels of CD163 and YKL-40 significantly predicted ASD severity, indicating a potential role of neuroinflammation in the development of ASD.

Stigmatizing attitudes held by healthcare professionals toward individuals with alcohol and substance use disorders (ASUD) can hinder access to care and negatively affect treatment outcomes. Clinical experience may play a key role in shaping these attitudes. This cross-sectional study included 230 healthcare professionals, 96 of whom had experience in addiction treatment centers and 134 who worked in general medical settings. Participants completed three validated instruments: the Alcohol Use Disorder Stigma Scale, the Substance Use Disorder Stigma Scale, and the Attitudes Toward Individuals Using Addictive Substances Scale. Independent samples t-tests were conducted to assess group differences. Professionals with addiction treatment experience exhibited significantly lower levels of stigma and negative attitudes. Alcohol-related stigma scores were 52.40 (SD = 17.71) for experienced professionals and 74.21 (SD = 19.06) for those without experience (t(228) = -8.81, p < .001). For substance-related stigma, the scores were 74.33 (SD = 24.25) vs. 97.05 (SD = 18.76) (t(228) = -8.01, p < .001). Negative attitude scores toward addictive substance users were also lower in the experienced group: 77.38 (SD = 20.42) vs. 97.05 (SD = 21.06) (t(228) = -7.07, p < .001). Direct clinical experience with individuals affected by ASUD is associated with reduced stigma among healthcare professionals. Integrating supervised clinical exposure into healthcare education may be an effective strategy to reduce stigma and improve the quality of addiction care.

Objective: To evaluate the informational quality, reliability, and educational usefulness of Turkish-language YouTube videos about autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive content analysis, YouTube was searched on April 10, 2026, using the term “otizm spektrum bozukluğu (autism spectrum disorder).” The first 100 results were screened, and 70 eligible Turkish-language informational videos were included. Video characteristics included uploader type, content focus, popularity indicators, and ASD-specific informational items. Two researchers evaluated each video using the DISCERN instrument, JAMA Benchmark Criteria, and Global Quality Score (GQS), with final ratings assigned by expert consensus. Results: Of the 70 videos, 29 (41.4%) were uploaded by professional sources and 41 (58.6%) by nonprofessional sources. Overall mean (SD) scores for the DISCERN instrument, JAMA Benchmark Criteria, and GQS were 34.8 (8.6), 2.0 (0.9), and 2.6 (1.0), respectively, indicating low-to-moderate quality. Videos from professional sources achieved significantly higher scores than those from nonprofessional sources across all 3 assessment tools (P < .001 for all comparisons). Popularity indicators were not associated with quality scores. Misleading information appeared in 13 videos (18.6%), and definitive-treatment, detoxification, or miracle-cure claims appeared in 6 (8.6%). Conclusions: Turkish-language YouTube videos about ASD vary considerably in quality and reliability. Popularity should not be interpreted as an indicator of scientific accuracy, and greater visibility of professionally produced, evidence-based content is needed.