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Background Individuals experiencing homelessness (IEHs) suffer from severe health inequities. Place of origin is linked to health and mortality of IEHs. In the general population the “healthy immigrant effect” provides a health advantage to foreign-born people. This phenomenon has not been sufficiently studied among the IEH population. The objectives are to study morbidity, mortality, and age at death among IEHs in Spain, paying special attention to their origin (Spanish-born or foreign-born) and to examine correlates and predictors of age at death. Methods Retrospective cohort study (observational study) of a 15-year period (2006–2020). We included 391 IEHs who had been attended at one of the city’s public mental health, substance use disorder, primary health, or specialized social services. Subsequently, we noted which subjects died during the study period and analyzed the variables related to their age at death. We compared the results based on origin (Spanish-born vs. foreign-born) and fitted a multiple linear regression model to the data to establish predictors of an earlier age at death. Results The mean age at death was 52.38 years. Spanish-born IEHs died on average almost nine years younger. The leading causes of death overall were suicide and drug-related disorders (cirrhosis, overdose, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD]). The results of the linear regression showed that earlier death was linked to COPD (b = − 0.348), being Spanish-born (b = 0.324), substance use disorder [cocaine (b =-0.169), opiates (b =.-243), and alcohol (b =-0.199)], cardiovascular diseases (b = − 0.223), tuberculosis (b = − 0.163), high blood pressure (b =-0.203), criminal record (b =-0.167), and hepatitis C (b =-0.129). When we separated the causes of death for Spanish-born and foreign-born subjects, we found that the main predictors of death among Spanish-born IEHs were opiate use disorder (b =-0.675), COPD (b =-0.479), cocaine use disorder (b =-0.208), high blood pressure (b =-0.358), multiple drug use disorder (b =-0.365), cardiovascular disease (b =-0.306), dual pathology (b =-0.286), female gender (b =-0.181), personality disorder (b =-0.201), obesity (b =-0.123), tuberculosis (b =-0.120) and having a criminal record (b =-0.153). In contrast, the predictors of death among foreign-born IEHs were psychotic disorder (b =-0.134), tuberculosis (b =-0.132), and opiate (b =-0.119) or alcohol use disorder (b =-0.098). Conclusions IEHs die younger than the general population, often due to suicide and drug use. The healthy immigrant effect seems to hold in IEHs as well as in the general population.

Studies in the literature suggest the severity of COVID-19 may impact on post-COVID sequelae. We retrospectively compared the different patterns of symptoms in relation to the severity of acute COVID-19 in patients visited at our post-COVID rehabilitation unit. We compared respiratory, muscular, cognitive, emotional, and health-related-quality-of-life (HRQoL) measures in three groups of post-COVID patients: those who had not required hospitalization for the acute disease, those who had been admitted to a general hospital ward, and those who had been admitted to the ICU. The main inclusion criteria were persistent dyspnoea (mMRC ≥2) and/or clinical frailty (scale value ≥3). We analyzed data from 178 post-COVID patients (91 admitted to the ICU, 60 to the ward, and 27 who had not required admission) at first visit to our post-COVID rehabilitation unit. Most patients (85.4%) had at least one comorbidity. There were more males in all groups (58.1%). ICU patients were older (p<0.001). The most frequent symptoms in all groups were fatigue (78.2%) and dyspnea (75.4%). Muscle strength and effort capacity were lower in the ICU group (p<0.001). The SF36 mental component and level of anxiety were worse in patients not admitted to the ICU (p<0.001). No differences were found between groups regarding respiratory pressure but 30 of 57 patients with a decrease in maximum inspiratory pressure had not required mechanical ventilation. Clinical profiles of post-COVID syndrome differed between groups. Muscle parameters were lower in the ICU group but patients who had not needed ICU admission had worse anxiety and HRQoL scores. Many patients who had not required mechanical ventilation had respiratory muscle weakness. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04852718.

The development of brief and inexpensive interventions that reduce risky behaviors in adolescence constitute a challenge for current research. This study addresses the prevention of two online behavior problems in adolescents (cyberbullying and online grooming). Two pilot studies evaluated the effects of a 1-hour intervention, which combined self-affirmation (SA) with the incremental theory of personality (ITP), for cyberbullying and online grooming. Study 1 involved 339 adolescents (51% male, mean age = 14.12 years, SD = 0.70), who were randomly assigned to the SA + ITP intervention or one of two control conditions. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that the SA + ITP intervention reduced the reciprocity between sexual solicitation and sexualized interaction with adults, as well as between cyberbullying victimization and perpetration. Study 2 included 214 adolescents (50.3% male, mean age = 14.06 years, SD = 0.96), who were randomly assigned to the SA + ITP or a control condition. Hierarchical linear modeling analyses indicated that the SA + ITP reduced the reciprocity between sexual solicitation and sexualized interaction with adults, and reduced cyberbullying perpetration. The studies provided preliminary evidence of the benefits of the SA + ITP intervention.

The aim of this study was to locate the scientific literature dealing with addiction to the Internet, video games, and cell phones and to characterize the pattern of publications in these areas. One hundred seventy-nine valid articles were retrieved from PubMed and PsycINFO between 1996 and 2005 related to pathological Internet, cell phone, or video game use. The years with the highest numbers of articles published were 2004 (n = 42) and 2005 (n = 40). The most productive countries, in terms of number of articles published, were the United States (n = 52), China (n = 23), the United Kingdom (n = 17), Taiwan (n = 13), and South Korea (n = 9). The most commonly used language was English (65.4%), followed by Chinese (12.8%) and Spanish (4.5%). Articles were published in 96 different journals, of which 22 published 2 or more articles. The journal that published the most articles was Cyberpsychology & Behavior (n = 41). Addiction to the Internet was the most intensely studied (85.3%), followed by addiction to video games (13.6%) and cell phones (2.1%). The number of publications in this area is growing, but it is difficult to conduct precise searches due to a lack of clear terminology. To facilitate retrieval, bibliographic databases should include descriptor terms referring specifically to Internet, video games, and cell phone addiction as well as to more general addictions involving communications and information technologies and other behavioral addictions.

The Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) generate new styles of meeting people or connecting with friends or strangers. In this context, the internet and the mobile phone deserve special attention. This article deals with the maladaptive use of these technologies. By reviewing the literature published between 1991 and 2005 and indexed in the databases of PsycINFO, Medline, Psicodoc, IME, and ISOC, we aim to determine whether maladaptive use of these technologies can be considered a mental disorder, and if so, of which type. We describe the psychological phenomena of maladaptive use of the internet and mobile phones, we review research on prevalence and possible risk groups, and finally we discuss some of the criticisms made with regard to the existence and classification of this disorder. It is concluded that excessive use of the internet can lead to a mental disorder of the addictive type, which can particularly affect individuals with special emotional needs, as well as adolescents and young adults. Among specific applications of the internet, a major risk is found for the use of communicative and synchronic applications, such as chats and online role games, since they permit hyperpersonal communication, playing with different identities, and projections and dissociation without consequences in real life. Furthermore, the internet can play an important role in the development and maintenance of other addictions, such as pathological gambling and sex addiction. In contrast to the case of the internet, maladaptive use of mobile phones may be considered abuse, but not addiction, since their use does not lead to the rapid emotional changes or the playing with identities that can take place in chats and online role games.

El uso del teléfono móvil entre la población estudiantil española ha sido ampliamente analizado, pero se ha centrado en muestras universitarias, de secundaria o de primaria. El objetivo del presente estudio es analizar el uso del teléfono móvil, sus diferencias de género y su relación con el trastorno por juego en Internet y por juego de azar en Internet en el alumnado de Formación Profesional (FP). Se realizó un estudio ex post facto retrospectivo en el que se evaluaron usos habituales del teléfono móvil, experiencias relacionadas con el mismo, el trastorno por juego en Internet y el juego patológico en línea. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 1107 estudiantes de FP (55.1% varones) con una edad media de 18.8 años. El 7.9% de la muestra hacía un uso problemático del móvil y el 28.6% un uso con problemas ocasionales. Se observaron diferencias de género, con un uso más problemático entre las mujeres. Según el análisis de regresión, usar el móvil en horas lectivas, ser mujer y usuaria de películas y videojuegos fueron las variables que mejor diferenciaban aquellos participantes que presentaron un uso problemático. Para aquellos participantes que empleaban el móvil con las finalidades de juegos de azar y videojuegos, ambos en Internet, la variable que mejor diferenciaba la presencia de problemas con el uso del teléfono móvil fue el uso del mismo para jugar a videojuegos en línea. Si bien la prevalencia de problemas frecuentes con el uso del móvil es relativamente baja, el porcentaje de alumnado en riesgo no debe dejar indiferente a la comunidad educativa. Se sugiere fomentar el uso adecuado de las tecnologías en el alumnado de FP prestando especial consideración a las diferencias de género encontradas.

Este trabajo propone un análisis crítico de las adicciones tecnológicas y se centra, especialmente, en las redes sociales, el móvil y los videojuegos. El uso de las redes sociales no responde al patrón descrito para la adicción puesto que no cumple los criterios establecidos para ella. Puede ser problemático y generar consecuencias negativas, pero éstas son leves y no llegan al nivel de las adicciones. Es más fructífero estudiar el contexto del perfil psicológico del usuario, las motivaciones y gratificaciones y su contexto socio-cultural para entender cómo se produce un uso problemático y cómo combatirlo. La falta de estudios longitudinales y de muestras clínicas invitan a la cautela para no patologizar conductas novedosas. En el caso del teléfono móvil, no consideramos que sea una adicción puesto que el móvil es una plataforma en el que se pueden encontrar contenidos que pueden llegar a ser problemáticos, pero el móvil en sí mismo no es el problema. Sobre los videojuegos cabe mencionar que tanto el DSM-5 como la CIE-11 lo han considerado un trastorno adictivo que se caracteriza por un patrón de comportamiento de juego persistente y recurrente que conlleva un deterioro o malestar clínicamente significativo en el que es necesario seguir investigando para describir sus particularidades clínicas y mejorar las propuestas de tratamiento.

Online gaming is a very common form of leisure among adolescents and young people, although its excessive and/or compulsive use is associated with psychological impairments in a minority of gamers. The latest (fifth) edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5, Section III) tentatively introduced Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD). Since then, a number of evaluation tools using the DSM-5 criteria have been developed, including the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale–Short Form (IGDS9-SF). The main objective of this study was to translate and adapt the IGDS9-SF into Spanish, as well as to obtain indicators relating to its validity and reliability. The Spanish version of four scales were administered: IGDS9-SF, Mobile Phone-Related Experiences Questionnaire (CERM), Online Gambling Disorder Questionnaire (OGD-Q), and KIDSCREEN-27. The sample comprised 535 Vocational Training students (mean age 18.35 years; SD±2.13; 78.5% males) who reported playing video games in the past 12 months. Confirmatory factor analysis yielded a one-dimensional model with a good fit while the reliability indicators were satisfactory. Findings indicated that 1.9% of gamers were classified with IGD (meeting five or more criteria for more than 12 months). Additionally, another 1.9% were considered gamers ‘at-risk’ because they endorsed four criteria. Positive and significant relationships were found between the IGDS9-SF, the CERM, and the OGD-Q. Participants classified with IGD had poorer health-related quality of life. In conclusion, the Spanish IGDS9-SF is a valid and reliable instrument to assess IGD according to the DSM-5.

Smartphones are used by billions of people worldwide. However, some psychologists have argued that use of this technology is addictive, even though little research utilises objective smartphone usage records to verify this claim. We conducted an exploratory study to identify whether behavioural differences exist between those who self-identify as addicted smartphone users and those who do not. We gathered retrospective smartphone usage data from 131 Android users and asked them about their past use to compare their perception of their usage against their actual usage. We could not identify any reliable differences between the smartphone activity of those self-identified as addicted smartphone users and other users. Furthermore, smartphone scales are generally good at identifying who believes themselves to be addicted, although they do not reflect objective smartphone use. This study questions the use of self-report measures to diagnosis behavioural addictions without relevant psychopathological constructs and emphasises the need for more rigorous study to conceptualise smartphone addiction.

Online gaming addiction is a relatively under-researched area and there have been few studies examining online gamers in treatment. This paper reports the findings from a qualitative interview study of nine players undergoing treatment for their addictive playing of Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPGs). A face-to-face interview study with nine online gaming addicts was carried out using Grounded Theory. The six most reported phenomena by the participants were: (i) entertainment search, (ii) virtual friendship, (iii) escapism and/or dissociation, (iv) game context, (v) control versus no control, and (vi) conflict. The findings suggest that players’ initial gaming motivation is because of three factors: (i) entertainment, (ii) escapism, and/or (iii) virtual friendship. MMORPG addiction appears once the playing time significantly increases, coupled with a loss of control and a narrow behavior focus. These factors lead to problems and result in psychological dependence and serious life conflicts. The consequences of MMORPG addiction are similar to the consequences of more established substance addictions including salience, mood modification, loss of control, craving, and serious adverse effects. Additionally, in some cases, tolerance and relapse may also be present.