Introduction: Excessive Internet use can negatively affect academic performance, family relationships and emotional development among the youth. Such issues have been identified as Internet addiction (IA). We aimed to determine the prevalence of IA among Portuguese adolescents and assess how parental control can relate to IA. Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was performed at public schools within a Portuguese region, using Young's Internet Addiction Test survey. General sociodemographic and emotional wellbeing data were obtained. A descriptive and bivariate analysis was done among Internet-addicted and average users, followed by a logistic regression analysis. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) were computed with two-sided P values < .05 for statistical significance. Results: A total of 1916 eligible responses were obtained. Mean age was 15 ± 1.8 years, with a slight predominance of female (53.3%) participants. In our sample, 16.5% were deemed Internet addicted and less likely to have any parental control over Internet use (aOR 0.74, P <.05). Moreover, 28% of the Internet-addicted users were less likely to have control over time spent online (aOR 0.72, P < .05), and close to half were unlikely to have online content restrictions (aOR 0.56, P < .01). Conclusions: Our findings reported a significant rate of Internet-addicted youth. IA was negatively related to parental control. Whenever any kind of parental control over Internet use was reported, IA was less likely to occur. Healthcare professionals should be aware of the risks of IA in adolescents to improve its prevention and intervention.

Addressing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within universities is an urgent necessity. Understanding and measuring the environmental behaviors of university students is an essential initial step in this process. This study had two primary objectives: to translate and adapt the General Ecological Behavior (GEB) Scale for European Portuguese and to provide an exploratory analysis of environmental connection, awareness, and behaviors within a Portuguese university student sample. A convenience sample of 112 university students, aged 18–65, was surveyed using a paper-based, self-report questionnaire. This instrument included sections on sociodemographics, environmental concerns, preferences, and self-report measures (GEB, GAD-7, and PHQ-9). We present the translation and adaptation procedure for the GEB, alongside preliminary findings that suggest acceptable reliability, factorial validity, and discriminant validity. Moreover, exploratory data on environmental connection, awareness, and behaviors are discussed. This study provides a foundational measure for future research into pro-environmental behaviors in the Portuguese context and contributes preliminary insights into the environmental attitudes and behaviors of Portuguese university students. We urge future research to focus on the SDGs, examining factors, measures, and strategies to enhance pro-environmental behaviors.

Psychological distress is an extremely relevant phenomenon in cancer patients due to its high prevalence, especially when cancer diagnoses are increasingly frequent. It is estimated that only one-third of patients with clinically significant levels of distress are referred to mental health services. To reinforce this point, most health centers lack the resources for distress screening. Background/Objectives: This study aims to systematically gather and critique information relevant to the operationalization of distress, as well as the instruments used to assess it. Methods: The data included in this systematic review were published after 2014 and collected through the meta-database EBSCO and the following databases: PsycArticles, PubMED, and SCOPUS. Results: A total of 1028 references were imported, and 54 duplicate articles were excluded. Of the 974 references, 934 were excluded because they had titles, keywords, or abstracts that were incompatible with the research objectives. Finally, of the 40 articles obtained, 3 were excluded due to the inclusion of cancer survivors, 1 for including a non-oncological sample, and 9 for not expressing a focus on distress, resulting in a total of 27 articles included in this systematic review. Conclusions: The field of psycho-oncology needs to improve the understanding and assessment of distress in cancer patients. The lack of a holistic and homogeneous vision, as well as the use of reductionist instruments are common problems. A more complete understanding of distress, especially its effective evaluation, and better communication with other health professionals and their patients concerning this health issue are needed.

Introduction: The World Health Organization’s Well-Being Index (WHO-5) is a five-item scale designed to measure psychological well-being and is considered effective in detecting depressive symptoms. This scale was translated and validated in more than 30 languages and is used in clinical practice and research worldwide. In Portugal, validation of this scale has yet to be done. This study aimed to analyse the psychometric performance of the WHO-5 scale in the setting of a Portuguese adolescent population. Methods: An observational cross-sectional survey-based study was carried out to assess the emotional state of adolescents resorting to the WHO-5 scale. A sample of 1,916 elementary and secondary school students from grades 7–12 was used. Results: The WHO-5 median score was 17 [14–20], and the best scores were found in males (p < 0.001), in those with no health issues (p < 0.001), those who slept well (p < 0.001), those who practiced sports (p < 0.001), and those who had no difficulties making friends (p < 0.001). Results from the answers to the WHO-5 questionnaire showed good internal consistency with a Cronbach alpha value of 0.80, and a confirmatory factor analysis supported the unidimensional structure of the questionnaire, which was consistent with a valid scale for the study sample. Conclusion: This study showed that the Portuguese version of the WHO-5 can assess psychological well-being in adolescents. The WHO-5 is a simple and readily useable scale that can be applied in routine consultations for screening the emotional state of adolescents and early detection of signs of mental health problems.