During the last decade, gambling (online and offline) regulation has become a social and epidemiological problem all around Europe. The aftermaths of this addiction have increased since the so-called “responsible gambling law”, in the second decade of the 21st century. The Overton window (OW) strategy is a political theory that describes how the perception of public opinion can be modified so that ideas that are inconceivable for society become accepted over time. The objective of this study is to identify whether an OW has been used to bias the adequacy of the gambling debate, as well as its scientific, legal, and political bases and the main consequences for both the general population and the major risk groups, especially the consequences in social and health contexts. The study was conducted by the application of the historical-logical method as the central axis of analysis and reflection, and the technique of qualitative research content analysis as a procedure in the process of execution of the scientific task, related to a historical trend study of the research object. The main consequences found were: the political acceptance of gambling for economical causes and taxes benefits, the use of popular characters to increase the acceptance of the pattern of behavior, the inclusion of the gambling operators as agents in the risks control, and the absence of intervention until the main consequences have been transformed into an epidemiological problem (with social aftermaths higher than the previously identified related to the gambling problems). Furthermore, the results suggest the need to implement prevention and health promotion strategies and the adoption of specific legal measures that regulate the access and the marketing of gambling operators’ activities.

Background: After the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, abusive use of the internet and new information and communication technologies (ICT) among university students was detected. Our research questions were as follows: what has been the impact on the academic performance of university students, and how did the pandemic affect students’ relationship with ICTs? The aim of this research was to explore the use of cell phones and the internet in students from different cultures (Spanish and Japanese) after the pandemic. Methods: This descriptive and exploratory study analysed 206 university students from Spanish and Japanese cultures to understand their perceptions of academic performance after the pandemic, their general use of ICT, and their abusive use of the internet and mobile phones. Instruments included the Internet Overuse Scale (IOS) and the Cell-Phone Overuse Scale (COS), adapted for both Spanish and Japanese populations. Differences between quantitative variables were analyzed using the non-parametric Mann–Whitney U test for independent samples (Spanish and Japanese students or by sex). Contingency tables were created to record and analyse relationships between qualitative variables using the chi-squared test, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Approximately 29.6% of participants displayed excessive internet use, while 25.2% showed pathological mobile phone use. A strong association was found between high internet and mobile phone usage. Significant cultural and gender differences were observed, with higher problematic use among Japanese students and female participants. Conclusions: Excessive ICT use remains a concern in university settings, with gender and cultural factors playing key roles. These findings highlight the need for targeted digital well-being interventions.

Background: The Internet Addiction Test (IAT) was the first instrument created specifically to assess Internet addiction (IA). Although it was not validated during its creation, its validity has since been confirmed thanks to subsequent studies. The IAT is the first global psychometric measure tested worldwide that has been used in several studies as a research tool. Regarding the dimensions of the IAT, they were not reported by the creator of the test, during the performed factor analysis. Nonetheless, different studies have defined the test as being one-dimensional and others as having three, four, five, and six dimensions. Methods: In the present study, seven dimensions were identified; however, there is still a lack of consensus about the number of dimensions that accurately define this test. Results: Hence, Young's Internet Addiction Test presents a shortcoming that may be explained by the influence of several factors such as how it was applied, the place where it was applied, and the population to which it was applied. All of these are factors that could be linked to the sociocultural aspects of the adaptations that have been made to the test. Conclusions: Moreover, the first dimension of the IAT found, the loss of self-control, is extremely important because it explains 34% of the variance of the data. However, 74% of the variance is explained by applying the 7 dimensions identified in this research. Also, the reliability analysis showed that the IAT is 89% reliable, which indicates that the elements comprising the test used in this research are suitable for measuring the construct of Internet addiction.

Incarcerated individuals with substance use disorders face a high risk of relapse in the absence of structured, motivational, and context-adapted intervent

Background: This study analyzed the intergenerational impact of parental substance use disorder (SUD) on internalizing and externalizing symptoms and attachment disturbances in adolescents to inform targeted prevention models. A mixed-methods, cross-sectional ex post facto design was conducted with 40 adolescents aged 11–18 (M = 15.08, SD = 2.01; 50% female), divided equally into an experimental group exposed to parental SUD and a control group. Results indicated that adolescents exposed to parental SUD exhibited significantly higher levels of internalizing (depression, anxiety) and externalizing psychopathology (aggressiveness, school maladjustment), alongside an increased risk of early alcohol and cannabis initiation. Furthermore, mediation analyses revealed distinct etiopathogenic pathways. Depressive symptoms were mediated by emotional neglect and caregiving system disruption, characterized as relational trauma. In contrast, anxiety and addictive behaviors stemmed directly from household instability and observational learning, independent of attachment trauma. Ultimately, psychopathology in adolescents exposed to parental SUD arises from divergent mechanisms involving both relational trauma and learning–instability paradigms. These findings underscore the clinical necessity of targeted preventive interventions focused on enhancing adaptive coping strategies and fostering resilience in this vulnerable population.

Introduction and objectives: this article addresses sexual addiction by integrating an anthropological and psychological approach to analyze the experiences of the addict. The objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of a therapeutic intervention model designed by the author to treat this disorder. Materials and methods: a mixed-methods approach with a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was used. Fifty subjects (25 men and 25 women) who sought help participated, divided equally between an experimental group and a control group. Ethnographic interviews and the standardized questionnaires Pathos, Csbi, Sast-R, and Stai (E-R) were used to measure severity, life interference, impulse control, and anxiety. Results: addiction negatively interferes with daily routines, generates anxiety, and acts as an escape from stress, regardless of age or social class. Both sexes showed similar symptoms, although women showed greater difficulty in controlling impulses. The posttest phase revealed a highly significant decrease in the severity of addiction following therapy. Conclusions: the study confirms the effectiveness of the proposed program, demonstrating its utility in reducing anxiety, improving the ability to delay immediate gratification, and decreasing compulsive sexual behavior as an escape mechanism.