The increasing risk of poverty and social exclusion in Italy poses challenges to the support of vulnerable families, requiring a preventive and collaborative approach across services. The literature emphasises the importance of exploring the views of professionals on the challenges they face when working with vulnerable families. This study investigates the challenges faced by professionals working in a northern Italian region piloting a new territorial service system for vulnerable families. A mixed-methods approach using semi-structured interviews was implemented with 62 professionals (18 social workers, 10 professional educators, 15 NGO workers, 9 psychologists and 10 health professionals). These examined the indicators of family fragility identified by the professionals, as well as the main challenges and resources of local services when working with these families. Three main challenges were identified: supporting the educational role of parents; the role of informal social networks in tackling isolation; and the promotion of networking and cooperation between services. The results are discussed in relation to how services can promote the autonomy of families to help them overcome difficult times. The findings emphasise the importance of adopting an ecological, preventive and collaborative approach to services.

I portierati di comunità hanno l'obiettivo di rispondere a bisogni e costruire legami territoriali solidi. Nel presente studio sono stati mappati 52 portierati in Italia. Con l'obiettivo di esplorare quali siano gli elementi che li rendono punti di riferimento per le comunità locali, in 28 di essi sono state condotte interviste semi-strutturate con i/le referenti. L'analisi delle interviste ha delineato tre temi: il ruolo nel costruire relazioni di fiducia e prossimità; l'ascolto attivo e la co-costruzione delle attività in ottica partecipativa; essere nodi connettivi tra cittadinanza e servizi. Essi risultano essere dispositivi significativi di welfare di prossimità, capaci di rispondere ai bisogni complessi delle comunità contemporanee.

Background Body weight self-perception refers to the level of agreement between an individual's perceived and actual weight status. Body weight congruence (BWC) indicates the correct perception of one's body weight compared with its actual value. Understanding the agreement between body mass index (BMI) and weight self-perception among adolescents might provide important information regarding health behaviours and psychosocial characteristics in this population. The aim of this study is to investigate the self-perception of body weight among Italian adolescents aged 11, 13, 15, and 17 years, and analyse its congruence with their BMI. Furthermore, it explores the association between BWC and selected socio-demographic and contextual factors. Methods Data from the Italian Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) survey were used. HBSC is the first Italian population-based survey on adolescent behaviours, representative at national and regional levels and involving students (aged 11, 13, 15 and 17-year-olds have also been included) recruited from school classes throughout all Italian regions. The school class was the primary sampling unit, drawn by a stratified systematic cluster sampling from the list of all public and private schools. Results In 2022 the Italian HBSC involving 89,321 adolescents. 63.8% of the population correctly perceived their body weight in relation to their BMI category. Overestimation of body weight was more frequent among girls than boys (26.3% vs. 9.3%); in contrast, boys were more likely to underestimate their weight (26.0% vs. 10.7%). Overestimation climbed from 11 to 17 years, whereas underestimation decreased with age. The risk of weight overestimation and underestimation was associated with adolescents' health perception; a greater risk was observed among adolescents who considered their health as poor. Conclusions Overall, our findings corroborate existing literature: body weight misperception decreases with increasing age, girls tend to overestimate their weight, and boys tend to underestimate it. Sex differences represent an important aspect to consider when designing sex-specific interventions in public health

Background Problematic gaming is a known risk factor for adolescent well-being. Yet, socioeconomic factors that might contribute to problematic gaming in adolescence have not been fully explored. This study examined the association between relative deprivation, defined as an individual's financial gap relative to their classmates, and problematic gaming in a representative sample of Italian adolescents.Methods We analysed data on family material assets and self-reported symptoms of problematic gaming from 58 881 participants in the 2021/2022 Italian Health Behaviour in school-aged children study. Relative deprivation was measured using the Yitzhaki index, with classmates as a social reference group. Associations with problematic gaming were tested using a two-level multiple logistic regression model while accounting for the effects of economic, sociodemographic and psychological factors.Results Adolescents reporting higher relative deprivation were eight times more likely to be classified as problematic gamers compared with their better-off peers, after controlling for individual and class-level deprivation, and self-efficacy beliefs. Males, younger adolescents and adolescents with lower self-efficacy were more at risk of being problematic gamers.Conclusion The current study expands the existing literature on the detrimental impact of inequalities on adolescent behaviours by highlighting the association between relative deprivation and problematic gaming. Policymakers are advised to implement measures to reduce inequalities and mitigate maladaptive gaming patterns among adolescents.

The goldilocks hypothesis states that moderate social media (SM) use may be advantageous in an increasingly technological world, whereas low or excessive use might negatively affect well-being. Past studies on the topic, however, reported mixed findings. Using a representative sample of Italian adolescents from the 2022 Italian Health Behavior in School-aged Children data set (N = 78,066; 50.2% girls; mean age = 14.1 years; SD = 2.2), the present study investigated the presence of a quadratic association between time spent on SM and psychosocial well-being (conceptualized as life satisfaction, emotional well-being, peer support, and low loneliness), while exploring potential moderating effects of age and gender. Multiple regressions were conducted to examine nonlinear associations between time spent on SM and mental and social well-being. Time spent on SM exhibited an inverted U-shaped relationship with social well-being: Early adolescents who used SM moderately reported less loneliness and higher peer support than those who spent little or too much time on SM. Age and gender moderated this relationship, with younger girls showing a shift from positive to negative effects after less time on SM compared with older adolescents or same-age boys. Conversely, time spent on SM showed a negative linear association with mental well-being. SM are potential instruments to nurture and enhance social connections, but using these tools brings inevitable trade-offs for individuals' well-being. Early adolescents, particularly girls, constitute a particularly vulnerable demographic to these influences, warranting increased attention going forward.

Parental phubbing, the act of parents moving their attention to their smartphone instead of engaging with their children, has been associated with negative consequences for adolescents ' health. However, most studies rely on single informant reports, which do not account for both parents and adolescents ' perceptions of the behavior and can provide biased results. Based on the Operations Triad Model, this cross-sectional study examines the association between parent-adolescent discrepancies in parental phubbing and adolescents ' life satisfaction and problematic smartphone use (PSU), mediated by parent-adolescent connection and controlling for parental PSU. A convenience sample of 372 Italian adolescents (49.2% girls, Mage = 11.9 +/- 0.85) and their parents (83.6% mothers, Mage = 45.3 +/- 5.19) completed two separate online surveys. Data were analyzed using a latent difference score model. Findings show that parents and adolescents perceive parental phubbing in different ways, with parents reporting higher levels than adolescents. Furthermore, parent-adolescent discrepancies showed distinct association patterns with the study variables. Specifically, adolescents overreporting of their parents ' phubbing was directly and positively associated with parent-adolescent connection and adolescents' life satisfaction, but not with adolescent PSU, whereas adolescents underreporting showed the opposite pattern of association. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of adopting multiple information sources when studying family relationships and provide useful insights for practitioners and researchers.

INTRODUCTION:Using Diffusion of Innovations Theory, we investigated whether countries with higher innovation capacity showed earlier tipping points (shift from increasing to decreasing drunkenness) and steeper declines in adolescent drunkenness (2002-2022). Innovation capacity likely facilitates these shifts through knowledge generation, policy implementation, and norm diffusion. METHODS:Trends in adolescent drunkenness were examined across 46 countries using six cross-sectional school-based survey waves from the international HBSC study (N = 319,843 15-year-olds). Data were complemented by country-level innovation capacity, per capita GDP, and Gini-coefficients. Two-level random effects models tested cross-level interactions between innovation capacity and linear and quadratic time trends in adolescent drunkenness frequency. RESULTS:Significant small-to-moderate cross-level interactions were found. Countries with high innovation capacity showed immediate linear declines (B = -.217, SE = .083), that flattened or showed an upward shift by 2022 (B = .031, SE = .007). Countries with low innovation capacity displayed an inverted U-shape trend in the early 2000s with a later tipping point (B = -.006, SE = .002). A steeper linear decline was observed for countries with higher (vs. lower) innovation capacity from their respective tipping point onward (B = -.273, SE = .083). DISCUSSION:Innovation capacity may accelerate adoption and diffusion of healthier behaviors through more rapid translation of health evidence into effective policy, parenting, and norms. While countries with high innovation capacity showed earlier declines, their initially higher levels of drunkenness may have created greater urgency for action. Earlier peaks and subsequent faster reductions in future alcohol-related health care needs are expected in these countries, though the possible recent trend reversal warrants close monitoring.

Adolescents with attachment anxiety can compensate via gaming for their unmet needs of closeness, reassurance, and emotion regulation. However, individual factors linking attachment anxiety to compensation via gaming are still unclear. In this two-wave longitudinal study (Wave 1, W1 = baseline; Wave 2, W2 = 6 months later), we aimed to determine whether intolerance of uncertainty (IU) mediates the link between attachment anxiety and gaming behaviours (gaming compensation, gaming frequency, and problematic gaming). Online questionnaires were administered to Italian adolescent gamers (N = 570; Mage = 15.60; SDage = 1.56; 68.8 % males). First, via path analyses, we tested whether attachment anxiety towards mother and father (W1) and IU (W1) would predict gaming behaviours (W2). Second, we tested whether IU would mediate the link between attachment anxiety and gaming compensation specifically. Multigroup analysis was used to explore gender differences. We found that attachment anxiety towards the mother and father was positively associated with IU, whereas attachment anxiety towards only the mother predicted gaming compensation at W2 both directly and via IU. Moreover, IU positively predicted gaming compensation and problematic gaming at W2. Multigroup analysis further revealed that for females, attachment anxiety towards the mother positively predicted gaming compensation at W2. Findings revealed small/modest effect sizes. Overall, attachment anxiety and IU may boost individuals to compensate via gaming, increasing the risk of problematic gaming. These results hold implications for future prevention interventions, emphasizing the quality of the parent-child relationship and IU as potential targets to foster adaptive coping strategies in adolescence.

Background and aims:Research has shown a positive association between Problematic Smartphone Use (PSU) and poor sleep quality. However, extant literature has mostly relied on cross-sectional studies and little is known about the factors involved in the maintenance of PSU and connected sleep problems. The aim of this study was to model the associations between Negative Metacognitions about the uncontrollability and danger of excessive Smartphone Use (NMSU), poor sleep quality, and PSU using a 2-wave design. Methods:A total of 361 participants completed an online questionnaire at W1 and W2 (after six months). A cross-lagged panel model was estimated using SEM to examine the longitudinal interrelationships between poor sleep quality, two dimensions of PSU (i.e., Time spent - which covers addiction-like symptoms of PSU including withdrawal and salience, and Daily life interference - which assesses the negative effects of smartphone use on daily functioning, and NMSU. Results:Correlation analyses showed significant positive associations among PSU, NMSU and poor sleep quality at both waves. With regards to cross-lagged effects, only poor sleep quality at W1 significantly predicted NMSU at W2 (β = 0.202, p = 0.021). Discussion and conclusions:Contrary to previous studies, only a prospective effect of sleep quality on negative metacognitions, rather than bidirectional influence between the three variables, was observed. Sleep hygiene education and interventions based on Metacognitive therapy could be helpful to modify negative metacognitions in the context of PSU.

Background: Italy was among the earliest countries globally to be heavily impacted by the outbreak of the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). During this period, schools were closed to students, and distance learning was adopted. The school closure has changed children’s and adolescent’s everyday lives, affecting their emotional resilience and mental health overall. Objectives: The aim of this study was to provide evidence regarding the influence of the pandemic period and lockdown measures on the well-being of adolescents living in Italy. The effects of COVID-19 were evaluated. Methods: The Health Behaviour in School Aged-Children (HBSC) 2021/2022 Italian data were used to describe changes in different dimensions of adolescents’ lives (e.g., family and peer relationships, mental health, school performance, physical activity, eating behaviour, and life in general). Results: Data from a sample of 89,321 adolescents participating in the 2021/22 HBSC wave were analysed. The areas where adolescents reported the greatest positive perceived change due to the pandemic period were family relationships (54.0%) and relationships with friends (44.7%). In contrast, negative changes were noted on mental health (41.1%), physical activity practice (42.9%), and life expectancy in general (37.2%). The effects of the coronavirus measures on family finances (48.9%), eating behaviour (43.6%), and overall health (43.7%) were most frequently assessed as neutral, i.e., neither positive nor negative. Conclusions: These results, in particular the adverse COVID-19 effects, reinforce the idea that during a pandemic, in addition to containing the infectious agent, specific attention must be paid to adolescents’ well-being, preserving their mental health and overall health.

Playing video games is a common leisure activity for adolescents, but a minority can develop maladaptive gaming patterns and experience impairments in various health domains. Most research has been conducted within the dichotomy of "non-problematic gaming" and "problematic gaming" with convenience and unrepresentative samples, necessitating further investigation to provide more robust and generalizable evidence. In this study, we examined the impact of gaming on different groups of gamers with distinct degrees of gaming involvement in relation to various psychological and physical health outcomes and behaviours. Data included a nationally representative sample of 89321 adolescents (11-17 years) from the 2022 Italian Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study. We compared groups of gamers (low risk, high risk, and problematic) with nongamers concerning their (mental) health, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, and social well-being. Logistic regressions were used to estimate the odds ratios (adjusted for gender, age, material deprivation, and family structure). Compared with non-gamers (33.7 % of the sample), low-risk gamers (51.6 %) reported better healthrelated outcomes (i.e., lower risk of depression, lower stress, fewer psychological and somatic symptoms). Highrisk (11.6 %) and problematic gamers (3.1 %) showed significantly higher impairments in all health-related outcomes than non-gamers did, the associations being especially pronounced in the problematic gaming group. Video games are not inherently harmful, and adolescents who reported a low risk of gaming problems showed slightly better health-related outcomes than non-gamers did. However, a minority of vulnerable users engaged in problematic use associated with negative consequences, functional impairment (e.g., sleep interference), and various unhealthy behaviours.

Menarche is an important period in a female’s life; its time of onset may depend on various factors and could correlate with the development of diseases in adulthood. Our study aims to investigate the relationship between body mass index and age at onset of menarche; We used a unique standardized national dataset on adolescent girls participating in the Italian Health Behaviour in School-aged Children Study. Two independent nationally representative survey datasets: one on 15-year-olds (n = 6505, year 2017/2018) and one on 11-year-olds (n = 6548, year 2013/2014) were analysed. The survey instrument was the self-report questionnaire. Median age at menarche and 95

Given growing concerns about the role of social media in adolescents' lives, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, this study investigates changes in social media use (SMU) between 2018 and 2022 across 28 countries. The main aim is to detect any change in adolescents' SMU, as reflected in the rates of four categories of social media users (i.e., non-active users, active users, intense users, and problematic users) between 2018 and 2022, and explore interactions with several individual, social and national factors involved in possible changes. Data were gathered from 326,397 adolescents aged 11, 13, and 15 from 28 countries involved in the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study. Results showed that there was a modest decline in the prevalence of non-active users (by 2.8 pp (percentage points)), active users (by 0.8 pp), and intense social media users (by 1.6 pp), accompanied by a 2.8 pp increase in the prevalence of problematic social media users. Overall, these temporal changes were confirmed across the participating countries. Girls, younger adolescents, those with low socio-economic status (SES), and with medium-low family and peer support experienced stronger temporal increases in reported problematic SMU. Younger adolescents also showed a stronger temporal decrease of nonactive SMU. A significant moderation effect of available national-level indicators (i.e., GINI, GII, Stringency Index, ICT access) was identified with respect to temporal changes in problematic SMU. These changes should be interpreted within the context of today's increasingly technologized world. Results are discussed with a global preventive perspective.

ABSTRACT In literature, there is a paucity of research examining the outcomes of mentoring programs for mentors. The goal of this study was to enhance understanding of the long‐term impact of mentoring experiences on mentors' social well‐being by testing a model in which the perceived influence of mentoring on work choices, volunteer choices and level of active participation in the community are associated with social self‐efficacy, civic engagement (attitudes and behaviours), and, in turn, with social wellbeing. This study surveyed cohorts of former mentors ( N = 203; 83% female) who took part in the mentoring and service‐learning program called Mentor UP in Italy. Results showed the mediating role of social self‐efficacy between the influence of mentoring on active participation in the community and social well‐being ( β = 0.05, p = 0.042) and between the same perceived influence of mentoring and civic engagement behaviour ( β = 0.08, p = 0.009). Moreover, the influence of mentoring and social well‐being was fully mediated by participants' current levels of civic engagement (attitudes and behaviours). These findings suggest that mentoring experiences can sustain college students' interpersonal effectiveness, civic responsibility and social well‐being in long‐lasting ways. Mentoring programs should therefore promote and measure these outcomes.

Il presente studio qualitativo intende esplorare le sfide che si incontrano nell'implementazione di progetti di sviluppo di comunità nei quartieri delle città e, in generale, in percorsi di coinvolgimento dei cit-tadini. La ricerca è stata realizzata nel quartiere Arcella di Padova e ha visto il coinvolgimento in interviste semi-strutturate di undici soggetti impegnati a vario titolo nell'implementazione di processi partecipativi. I risultati dell'analisi tematica riflessiva hanno offerto varie riflessioni riguardanti i processi partecipativi quali la possibilità di garantire la sostenibilità economica e sociale dei progetti, la necessità di favorire il coinvolgimento delle popolazioni migranti ascoltandone i bisogni e valorizzare la comunicazione digitale nei percorsi partecipativi.

Introduction: Problematic gaming (PG) is a public health issue among adolescents worldwide. Although several studies have documented that peer influences constitute a relevant risk factor for adolescent problematic be-haviors, little research is currently available on PG. The aim of this study was to examine the contribution of social norms and perceived friends' gaming frequency on participants' own gaming frequency and PG, by testing potential differences among groups with low vs. high motive to use the Internet (e.g., online gaming) as a coping strategy. Method: A survey was administered to 470 adolescent gamers (mean age = 15.49 years; SD = 1.05 years; 77.9 % males). A theoretical model was tested through path analysis and multi-group comparisons were performed.Results: Path analysis revealed that social norms and perceived friends' gaming frequency were positively associated to participants' gaming behaviors and PG. Additionally, different patterns between groups emerged.Conclusion: Our findings confirmed the relative importance of peer influences on adolescents' gaming behaviors and PG and showed that adolescents who rely more on online gaming to cope with negative affect may be more vulnerable to social influence processes than other peers. These findings may provide useful indications for prevention programs targeting adolescent PG.

Adolescent problematic gaming (PG) is a concerning condition worldwide. Increasing evidence documented associations between parental behaviors (measured unitedly for mothers and fathers) and adolescent PG; however, the specific contribution of each parent and the mediating mechanisms remain understudied. Drawing from the self-determination theory, this study separately examined, in mothers and fathers, (a) the direct associations between supportive parenting practices (i.e., autonomy support, structure, and warmth) and thwarting practices (i.e., coercion, chaos, and rejection) and adolescent PG, (b) their indirect associations via the satisfaction and the frustration of basic psychological needs, and (c) potential gender differences. Data were collected at school via online questionnaires in 2023 and the final sample comprised 1,193 Italian video game players (M-age = 15.81 +/- 1.58; 64.3% males). Path analyses were run to test the two mediation models and multigroup comparisons were conducted. Coercion by both parents was directly associated with higher PG among all adolescents, while chaos by both parents was directly associated with higher PG only in males. Furthermore, the thwarting practices of both parents were associated with higher adolescent PG via increased need frustration, whereas autonomy support only by fathers was related to lower adolescent PG via reduced need frustration; no gender differences emerged in the indirect associations. These findings evidence that the thwarting parenting practices and need frustration in particular may be crucial risk factors for adolescent PG and suggest that involving both mothers and fathers in the prevention and intervention programs may be particularly useful to tackle this condition in adolescence.