Communication and information sources can play an important role when addressing drug use. The aim of this study is to assess the association of different levels of trust in information sources ...regarding drug use within different population groups.
Data was gathered using a mixed methods approach, with an online survey and interviews. A structured questionnaire was designed for data collection using the methodology of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, with additional items measuring trust in the information sources.
In total 9,161 inhabitants of Slovenia aged 15-64 years and living in the private households completed the survey as part of this non-experimental quantitative study (response rate: 57%). A total of 20.7% of the participants reported having used cannabis or hashish at least once in their lives, 2.5% cocaine/crack cocaine and 0.4% heroin. Mean age of the first cannabis/hashish use was 19.59 years, cocaine/crack cocaine 22.73 years and heroin 20.63 years. The participants most value and trust the information sources regarding tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs if it comes from healthcare workers or immediate family and other relatives, and put the least trust in the internet and television.
The data show that drug users have less trust in the given information sources compared to the whole sample. The present research serves as evidence for development and implementation of targeted interventions, including communication activities and tools.
Purpose: At a high-security psychiatric hospital in the UK, the Understanding Intimacy and Relationships (URI) psycho-educative group therapy was developed in an attempt to provide a therapeutic ...input for interpersonal difficulties displayed by patients with sex offending history. This study aimed to conduct a preliminary evaluation of the URI group effectiveness for sex offenders. Design/Methods/Approach: A longitudinal study with three groups of participants - sex offenders (n = 9) and non-sex offenders (n = 9) that completed the URI group, and the control group (n = 10), which were assessed at two time points was conducted at a high-security psychiatric hospital. Each group filled out three questionnaires at both timepoints - IIP-C, UCLA Loneliness Scale, and ECR-R. Findings: The results suggest a decrease in feelings of loneliness for both groups of patients that completed the URI programme, and a limited reduction of interpersonal difficulties. Results of within-subject changes regarding interpersonal difficulties among patients in URI group did not statistically significantly differ from the result of the control group. Research Limitations/Implications: The most evident limitation of the study is a very small sample size and lack of objective measurement of patients' difficulties in interpersonal relations. Practical Implications: The findings suggest that the URI programme might have a limited effect on sex offenders due to the unsuccessful implementation of the Risk, Need, Responsivity Model, although several study limitations were present potentially affecting the outcome. Originality/Value: Longitudinal evaluation effectiveness of a clinical intervention for patients with sex offending history at a high-secure psychiatric hospital.
One of the most significant changes in the majority of postsecondary educational institutions was the closure of those institutions and the shift of educational activities to online distance learning ...formats as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Closure combined with forced online distance education (FODE) was a cure with many side effects, 1 of them being the effect on students' mental health and, more specifically, levels of stress. Due to the novelty of the situation, there have been no studies so far designed to link satisfaction with online study, feelings toward the study obligations, and stress among students.
The aim of the study is to assess the perceived stress of Slovenian postsecondary students in order to identify the online study-related factors affecting or acting as a covariate during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Data collection was conducted through a self-reported survey as part of a large cross-sectional study based on data collected from postsecondary students from a number of higher educational institutions. The random sample consisted of 4455 individuals. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-4), Satisfaction with Online Study Scale (SAT-5), and Feelings Towards Study Obligations Scale (FETSOS) were used to assess the constructs and the relations observed within the study.
The results indicate that more than half of all respondents reported high levels of stress. The difference in the reported levels of perceived stress between genders were statistically significant (N=4454, F
=56.719, P<.001, Cohen d=0.35). Overall, the results suggest that a decline in the motivation to study, the quality of internet and mobile connections, and the presence of distracting factors in the study space were the 3 main factors related to the students' negative emotions as associated with the timeliness, performance, and quality of the study obligations. Furthermore, the results show that the level of satisfaction with online study affected stress such that the higher the satisfaction, the lower the stress. Moreover, the more positive feelings connected with the timeliness, performance, and quality of the study obligations that the students felt, the more satisfaction they reported with online study and, thus indirectly, lower stress and less negative feelings.
The findings of this study call for implementing structures and measures targeted at stress reduction, working conditions, and pedagogy with regard to FODE.
Full text
Available for:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The aim of the present study was to explore the influence of anxiety and fear of COVID-19 on vaccination hesitancy among Slovenian postsecondary students. A cross-sectional study using a set of ...previously tested instruments and ad hoc questions created by the authors was chosen as the method to gain insight into various health and sociodemographic aspects of Slovenian postsecondary students affected by the COVID-19-induced closures and suspensions of educational activities at tertiary educational institutions (N = 5999). Overall, 39.7% of participating students expressed an intention to get vaccinated at the first possible opportunity, whereas 29.2% expressed no intent to do so. The highest vaccine hesitancy was observed among prospective teachers (50.3%) and the lowest among prospective physicians (5,7%). When examining the role of anxiety and fear of COVID-19 on the Slovenian postsecondary students' intentions to get vaccinated the results of logistic regression showed that only fear of COVID-19 played a mild and significant role.
Full text
Available for:
IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Existing research indicates that the relationship between digital technology use and insomnia can largely depend on which digital technology measure and which insomnia measure is considered. Data on ...4261 Slovenian tertiary students was gathered through an online survey in February 2021, which included measures of depression and insomnia symptoms, as well as measures of internet, social media and video game use divided into three measurement levels (use, duration of use, addictive use). Regression analysis revealed an apparent effect of measurement level, where addictive use measures consistently outperformed other technology use measures in predicting insomnia. Regardless of measurement level, social media use seems to produce more risk for insomnia, compared to playing video games or general internet use for leisure purposes. Importantly, a single measure of depression symptoms explained more variance in insomnia than the nine measures of digital technology use combined, meaning that the effect of digital technology on sleep should not be overstated. Most of the effect of social media use on insomnia may in fact be explained by understanding users' depression symptoms. In case of gaming, a larger part of its effect on insomnia is independent of depression symptoms.
Full text
Available for:
IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
The purpose of this study is to fill the research gap regarding the influence of satisfaction with distance learning on the correlates of mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
An online ...cross-sectional study was conducted in February and March 2021, involving 4661 postsecondary students. Five validated instruments-PHQ-9 (depression), GAD-7 (anxiety), PSS-4 (stress), CD-RISC-10 (resilience) and SAT-5 (satisfaction with online study)-were used in the present study.
The correlations between anxiety, depression, and stress were so high that they were almost inextricably linked. Both satisfaction with online learning and psychological resilience were negatively correlated with anxiety, depression, and stress. Satisfaction with online learning was also negatively correlated with psychological resilience. Females showed higher levels of vulnerability to anxiety, depression, and stress, and exhibited lower levels of psychological resilience than males.
Home-based distance-learning during the COVID-19-induced lockdown had a significant impact on students' mental health. Low satisfaction with distance learning can lead to the development of anxiety and depression symptoms, increase stress, and decrease the psychological resilience of postsecondary students; therefore, it is critical that educational institutions focus on implementing interventions that promote students' satisfaction with distance learning, and their psychological resilience, to protect their mental health.
With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, social media became one of the most utilized sources of information relating to the disease. With the increased reliance on social media, the risk of ...excessive use and the development of social media addiction emerges. The aim of the present study was to explore the psychometric properties of the Slovenian version of the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale, and to explore how psychological resilience affects social media addiction symptoms directly and indirectly through symptoms of depression, anxiety and mental distress. A large online cross-sectional study was conducted in March 2021 among Slovenian tertiary students (
= 4868). The results showed the high reliability, unidimensionality and criterion validity of the Slovenian Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale. The proposed structural model fit the data well and showed a significant direct positive effect of depression and stress on social media addiction. Moreover, the majority of the negative effects of psychological resilience on social media addiction (87.2%) were indirect, through depression and stress symptoms, whereas resilience had a significantly smaller impact on social media addiction by reducing anxiety symptoms. The overall prevalence of social media addiction symptoms was 4.6%, with females exhibiting higher proportions than men. Additionally, female social media users reported a complete absence of social media addiction symptoms less often compared to males. Future research should further explore the mechanisms behind social media addiction, in order to gain a better understanding of the apparently different risk levels for both genders.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate compliance with preventive measures and COVID-19 vaccination acceptance among Slovenian students of healthcare and medicine, identify the predictive ...socio-demographic factors, establish the possible causes, and propose vaccination strategies and programs in response to the findings.
Data were collected using an online survey as part of a large cross-sectional study of full-time students engaged in higher-level study. The survey took place between 9 February and 8 March 2021.
A total of 56.3% of medical and other healthcare students surveyed expressed their intention to receive the vaccine at the earliest opportunity, 22.4% said that they would do so at a later date and 21.3% said that they did not intend to get vaccinated. The medical students surveyed showed a greater readiness to get vaccinated at the earliest opportunity than those studying other healthcare disciplines, men more than women, and single persons more than those in a relationship. Students attending a vocational college, professional higher education or university study program (Bologna first cycle) showed less readiness than other students to get vaccinated as soon as they were able.
Our research found that 56.3% of those studying health-related subjects intended to get vaccinated at the earliest opportunity. There were significant differences between medical and other healthcare students, as well as differences resulting from the level of higher education study being undertaken. In addition, the conclusions show that there needs to be a strengthening of communication with students regarding COVID-19 and the importance of vaccination. Lessons that we learned in this pandemic should prepare us for the future. Clearer and more effective communication and education in the future regarding the importance of vaccination is the most effective way of preventing communicable diseases.
PDF
