ABSTRACT. Family-based substance abuse prevention is an effective means to decrease risk factors and increase resiliency and is cost-beneficial. The Strengthening Families Program (SFP) is an internationally recognised evidence-based family skills programme culturally adapted for 36 countries. SFP improves resilience, behavioural and health outcomes for parents, children and adolescents (Kumpfer, et al., 2016, 2017). Implemented by community interagency networks in Ireland since 2007, SFP in Ireland primarily focuses on SFP 12-16 years and recently SFP 6-11 years. The National SFP Council of Ireland was established in 2012 which includes multi-agency site co-ordinators/trainers/managers to support development through inter-regional collaboration on practice, policy, research and advocacy. This paper will report on Ireland’s 10 years of SFP outcomes on parent, family and communities and highlights key components which support its effective and sustainability as an inter-agency model. Using national Irish data from parent self-reported retrospective pre- and post-test SFP questionnaires (2007-2017), the effect sizes and significance levels of 21 outcome variables (parent, teen and family) will be analysed by gender in a 2x2x2 ANOVA quasi-experimental design. Irish data will be compared with US SFP 12-16 norms. This outcome data will be further supported with qualitative information compiled post programme through follow-up SFP skills sessions; SFP booster sessions, independent follow-up studies across Ireland. The paper will demonstrate how SFP in Ireland through establishing quality systems of implementation can effect change as a model of intervention for families across the various levels of family support needs. The results will inform policy and practice and contribute to an increased understanding of family-based prevention interventions.

ABSTRACT. Strengthening families program (SFP) has now a 8 years history in France which can be divided in four periods. During the first 2009-2010 period, lessons were learnt from a first failed attempt in a town near Paris. We had tried to rush a research process to fit in the agenda of a national action plan and we discovered that the local leadership was in fact fragile. In our second 2011-2012 period, we adopted a more prudent approach, taking the time to do a pilot study in Mouans-Sartoux. This time we had a strong local leadership deeply rooted in the community. 92% of the families attended the 14 sessions and parenting skills improved. In 2013-2014 we added two towns (Carros and Grasse) to Mouans-Sartoux. The cultural adaptation of the intervention was refined. A French name was chosen (programme de soutien aux familles et à la parentalité, PSFP). A DVD was produced for non-reading parents. 84% of the families attended the 14 sessions. The parents’ skills improved with 40% and the children’s skills with 21% (figures provided by Karol Kumpfer). For the last 2015-2017 period, 13 cities have volunteered, 4 more should be involved by the end of 2017. Mouans-Sartoux will undergo its 4th wave. Our research protocol will be presented. Thanks to a careful cultural adaptation process, we have demonstrated that SFP is highly acceptable in France. The first challenge is to train more professionals involved in parenting assistance who represent the network around PSFP. The second challenge is to build a national monitoring process to maintain high quality of delivery.

ABSTRACT. The Family Competence Program (FCP) 12-16 is the Spanish adaptation of the Strengthening Families Program (SFP). This initiative is an evidence-based program of intervention working with the family factors of the adolescents at risk. The successful process of cultural adaptation ensures the participation, retention, and effectiveness of the program in a Spanish context. In order to respond to the specific needs of Spanish families, it is necessary to adapt strategies to promote commitment and retention. It is very important to be able to adequately manage the dilemma of fidelity and/or flexibility to improve the understanding, motivation and interest of the parties engaged. The aim of this study is to assess families that are involved in FCP 12-16 after cultural adaptation.

The study utilized the quasi-experimental design with a control group. Out of 92 families, 69 comprised the experimental group and 23 comprised the control group. To analyze family change, the instruments used were the Spanish validated version of Kumpfer’s questionnaires for parents and children. Behavioral Assessment System for Children (BASC) was additionally used, also validated for the Spanish population. Pretests and post-tests with t tests were undertaken, and 6-month follow-ups are now under way. Regarding data analysis, to detect between which groups changes took place, ANOVA with post hoc Tukey b tests is used. Also, the t test and size effects (Cohen d) were calculated. The retention rate is 85.19% of the 92 families.

It was found that the programs produce significant changes in families and in adolescents. In families: family resilience (t=-3.38; p=0.001; d=0.82); family cohesion (t=-3.39; p=0.001; d=0.76); positive parenting (t=-5.53; p=0.000; d=0.97); parenting skills (t=-5.393; p=0.000; d=1.253). In adolescents: attention problems (t=2.21; p=0.028; d=0.40); depression (t=2.093; p=0.038; d=0.449); internalization of problems (t=2.54; p=0.028; d=0.50); adaptive skills (t=-2.07; p=0.04; d=0.37).

The PCF is an example of cultural adaptation that has been successful among families, obtaining very positive results in relation to retention and participation. This program shows good protective characteristics, especially family protective factors and changes in adolescent attitude and behaviour. The program has had great acceptance among the community and is already preparing to accept new applications.

ABSTRACT. Purpose. This presentation reviews the evidence-based Strengthening Families Program’s (SFP) history since 1982, theory (family systems/cognitive behavioral/resilience), content, and research. Implications will be covered for improving implementation quality using digital delivery for family interventions in clinics or homes to reduce costs in preventing child maltreatment and behavioral health problems. Background. Cochrane Collaboration meta-analyses at Oxford Brooks University by Dr. Foxcroft and associates and 14 RCTs (half by independent research teams) found SFP effective in improving parenting and family relations to prevent child maltreatment and drug misuse particularly among girls. SFP is now in 36 countries with international funding from governments and the UNODC. Evidence-based family preventive interventions are the most effective in producing long term benefits. Unfortunately, SFP and other family interventions are costly. Our goal was to increase family engagement, cost/benefit ratios and wider dissemination by using digital delivery with $5/DVDs. Methods: An entertaining and interactive 11-session SFP Home-Use video/ DVD for parents and children ages 7-17 years to watch together at home or in groups was created using families of different ethnicities. The DVD was first evaluated in families of 6th and 8th graders (n=140) recruited from high-risk, inner city schools with 58% hard-to-reach and low income ethnic minority families. Culturally matched graduates of SFP recruited the families at school events. Results. Using a quasi-experimental design, the DVD only version compared favorably to the much more expensive family group+DVD version. It resulted in 17 of 19 significant outcomes and almost as large Cohen’s d effect sizes for parenting and family outcomes but better youth outcomes. Also use of the DVD as a health education class assignment in middle schools reduced binge drinking in half only in the school district implementing the DVD (Bach/Harrison, 2016). Evaluations of agencies in other states in the USA implementing the SFP DVD have found similar positive results. Conclusions. Cost/benefit ratios can be increased using digital delivery (e.g., DVD, web, YouTube, and phone apps) and still be highly effective in reducing behavioral health disorders particularly in girls who have better outcomes in family EBIs (Kumpfer, 2014, Kumpfer, et al., in review).

ABSTRACT. Even though decreased abuse of psychoactive substances has been observed in recent years among the Brazilian population of adolescents, the still high rate of psychoactive substances usage and the harm it has caused to health remains one of the main concerns regarding the health of Brazilian youths. In order to prevent drug abuse among Brazilian adolescents, the Ministry of Health adopted the Strengthening Families Program (SFP 10-14) directed to families and adolescents. Originally devised in the United States, the program has undergone successive adaptations and was later disseminated to European and Latin American countries. In Brazil, the program was named “Programa Famílias Fortes” [Strong Families Program] and was first implemented in 2013 in the Federal District (FD), when the need for a cultural accommodation was identified. This paper’s aim is to examine the social validity of the goals, activities and effects of the Strengthening Families Program from the perspective of the group leaders, adolescents and parents in four states in the northeast of Brazil wich is recognized as the country’s poorest region. Data were collected through quantitative and qualitative measures. A scale was used to assess social validity among group leaders; focus groups were implemented with group leaders , parents and adolescents. Analysis of quantitative data was performed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were first analyzed using thematic analysis . Preliminary results indicate that the Strengthening Families Program is perceived by the various participants to be highly relevant, though incompatible with the infrastructure of the services in which it has been implemented and with the low educational levels of the participating families. Adaptation of the material and activities is necessary, especially due to socioeconomic reasons. Changes in the families relations were identified such as increase of dialogues, empathy and expression of feelings. Facilitators named overload as a negative effect due all the planning and material demanded. We discuss the implications of these findings to support studies assessing the program’s effectiveness, to promote intersectoral cooperation and community coalitions, and support the new wave of cultural adaptation of the Strengthening Families Program in Brazil.

ABSTRACT. Western democracies inherited systems for welfare delivery and approaches to social policy designed in the immediate post-WW2 era. Welfare delivery is focused on production in the formal economy and institutions of the professionalised (and expensive) welfare state, with funding mechanisms based on paid employment, taxes and social insurance. This has unfortunate consequences: policies focus on alleviating problem symptoms rather than addressing systemic causes; ‘full employment’ is pursued by government, even though the reducing need for labour in the formal economy makes this unrealistic; and, for lack of paid work, many in society are needlessly restricted from contributing to societal welfare. The inherited approaches give insufficient provision for citizens to make in-kind contributions to welfare through committing time to community activities and insufficient attention to prevention in welfare delivery; e.g. by maintaining health through being active.

The urgent need is for ways of reaching-out upstream of health, educational or social problems to nip them in the bud early. An important opportunity is to harness social innovation organisations. A wide range of these is active informally and in ad hoc ways to provide opportunities for citizens to be active; e.g. through ‘care in the community’ or secondary economy initiatives. A common feature is their resourcing structure; social innovations typically mobilise non-rival resources, wasted assets and spare capacities in activities that contribute to strong, inclusive, healthy, caring and resilient communities.

The difficulty is these proven and largely inexpensive techniques are caught in a logical fork. Either they operate inside statutory public services, where the culture rapidly erodes the informality that makes them effective; or they operate outside, where (if lucky) they are constantly on a gruelling three-year funding cycle which saps energy and innovation. Another aspect is the way that government is organised. No one department can solve this problem without undermining the very infrastructure it hopes to create. This presentation sets out an initiative from outside government that seeks to be a catalyst in making a cross-governmental solution possible using the idea of a missing ‘preventive infrastructure’, which must be in place if public services are to be effective.

ABSTRACT. The publication of two papers (Hawkins et al.,1992; Glantz & Pickens, 1992) on risk factors for unhealthy behaviors has catapulted Prevention Science to the forefront of Public Policy. Over the last 25 years, sophisticated designs have been developed utilizing extensive longitudinal data to identify evidence-based programs which target one or more risk factors and have allowed for drawing inferences regarding which program works for whom under what conditions. Despite these advances, it takes 17 years for research findings to reach clinical and behavioral health practice. Furthermore, the life cycle of these programs most often ends at the implementation and evaluation stage and does not move towards dissemination and scale up and consequently, their collective impact is minimized. The current literature has identified a number of influential factors impacting on this translational gap including the lack of sustainable funding; aspects of project design and characteristics (e.g., limited involvement of local stakeholders as champions), organizational setting factors (e.g., insufficient organizational capacity), and broader community environment (e.g., lack of support from external community stakeholders). Importantly, these domains do not exert their influence in isolation but create a complicated configuration of favorable and unfavorable influences. It is in this context that Pay for Success/Social Impact Bonds (PFS/SIB) garners its relevance. Originally developed in the UK, PFS/SIB is an innovative, multi-stakeholder partnership funding mechanism where government and philanthropic organizations provide upfront funding for program implementation under the umbrella of pay-for-performance principles. There are currently 17 PFS/SIB programs active in the US and more than 40 are considered for inception in the US, Europe, and other countries. This funding approach tries to address three main issues related to the implementation gap, including inconsistent funding for providers, fiscal constraints which hamper the support for preventive programs, and a lack of systematic government and external community stakeholder involvement. This presentation will critically review how the PFS/SIB project structure has the potential to increase the collective impact of prevention programming by addressing translational gaps noted above. Participants will benefit from participation by better understanding both the potential impact and challenges in furthering prevention programming using PFS/SIB tools and strategies.

ABSTRACT. "Programme registries” or “clearinghouses” are an approach to improve the identification and implementation of evidence based prevention programmes. Registries are usually set up as online databases and intending to apply clear inclusion criteria for eligible programmes and practices. Though programme registries are in general utilizing common scientific standards of evidence, they vary a lot in terms of operationalizing these standards. While quite common in the U.S., such clearinghouses are still under development in most European countries. In this presentation the German example, the “Green List Prevention” will be discussed. We will present about the rationale for the specific inclusion criteria, about experiences with the acceptance of the list by prevention practitioners and decision-makers and about methodological challenges and limitations. Recommendations for the further development of evidence-based prevention programme registries will be discussed.

ABSTRACT. A model for early childhood interventions was developed for Austria in 2014 combining universal and indicated prevention. The main objective of this model is to reach and support families during pregnancy or within the first three years of a child, with a special focus on socially disadvantaged families resp. families in need due to burdened life circumstances. The indicated prevention part in form of regional early childhood intervention networks is being implemented now in regions in all nine Austrian provinces. A National Centre for early childhood intervention is - amongst other tasks – in charge of promoting and assessing the quality as well as the Austrian-wide consistency of implementation. A variety of quality assurance activities is in place to support this task: most importantly a special Austrian-wide documentation system, training activities for the network managers and the family supporters of the regional networks continuous further development of the professional foundation (i.e. position papers, fact sheets) and counselling for persons in charge of regional implementation. In addition, two external evaluations were commissioned, one focusing on the establishment of the regional structures (process evaluation) and one on the effects resp. benefits for families supported by the regional networks observed by experts and families (outcome evaluation). Results: Although there are some regional differences in specific aspects of the implementation of the basic model due to regional necessities, the results of the evaluation indicate that families as well as experts perceive a clear benefit of the programme as regard to reduction of burdens resp. increase of resources. Still, the development of minimum quality criteria is considered as a necessary further step of quality assurance.

ABSTRACT. Introduction: The Syrian refugee crisis, and associated conflict and displacement impacts the mental health of children and adults. Families are the first line of defence for children's mental health. Few studies, however, test the potential for family-based approaches to prevent mental health difficulties, particularly through flight and displacement. The need for a public health pyramid of evidence-based interventions has been highlighted.

Methods: initial qualitative studies identified needs and coping strategies of parents in displacement, examining the potential for the development of brief, focused approaches for children and families. This information was integrated with key parenting strategies identified in the literature to design a brief parent skills programme component for an existing intervention for children showing traumatic stress post emergency, Teaching Recovery Techniques (TRT). This created a new, brief integrated programme for parents and caregivers for use in humanitarian and low resource settings, TRT Plus Parenting. This combined programme has been piloted with displaced families close to the Syrian border. A new trial is ongoing in Lebanon.

Results: Qualitative research highlighted the need parents felt for simple advice on behavioural and emotional changes they saw in their children through conflict and displacement. The TRT Plus Parenting programme pilot with 14 families found 100% attendance and improvement on parenting variables. In interviews, parents described positive changes they noticed in their children and their capacity to interact more calmly with them.

Conclusions: TRT Plus Parenting shows promise for families experiencing conflict and displacement, and has potential for newly resettled families in high income countries. The parent skills are also presented in brief leaflets, booklets and conversation group format, enabling integrated, coherent information to be disseminated depending on local resources/needs. This aligns with the Strong Families approach adopted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for low resource settings worldwide.

ABSTRACT. This presentation is based on the qualitative analysis of the results of the implementation of the pilot project of the substance use prevention program Mantente REAL Sevilla (2016) and highlights the importance of the cultural adaptation of prevention programs aimed at adolescents. The main objective of the study, based on scientific evidence and devised and directed by the Arizona State University's Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center (SIRC), has been to verify the cultural adaptation needs of the substance use prevention program Mantente REAL. The qualitative analysis of the discussion groups between students who have participated in the pilot study and the discussion group of teachers who implemented it has shown how the effectiveness of school prevention is linked - and cannot do without factors such as: (1) the specificity of the school context and its material and human resources; (2) socio-cultural adaptation of the content of the program to be REAL; (3) the attitude, experience and previous training of teachers; (4) support from outside educators / collaborators; (5) the involvement of the family and the center; (6) a style of active and horizontal teaching and learning stimulated, for example, by practical activities. The experience of the Pilot Mantente REAL Sevilla Project can enrich the knowledge of the fundamental dimensions, weaknesses and potentialities that are necessary to adapt culturally in school prevention programs.

ABSTRACT. Academic researchers often face difficulties recruiting secondary schools for prevention research. We do not have this problem. Each year approximately 40.000 pupils from around 80 schools are surveyed in Flanders. Every year the demand exceeds the offer, but this is the maximum workload we can take for now. Public funded schools are the norm in Flanders. Next to an educational task, they also have a pedagogical obligation, specified in ‘cross-curricular goals’. Some of those match perfectly with preventive interventions, e.g. pupils assess risks of use of psychoactive substances; pupils apply decision making skills in real life situations; pupils recognize problem situations and ask, accept and offer assistance; etc. VAD in cooperation with CGG Prevention Work offers a systematic approach and coaching trajectory for preventive intervention based on the whole school approach, that meet these specific goals. First, pupils are surveyed on prevalence of tobacco, alcohol, cannabis and other illegal drugs, psychoactive medication, gambling and gaming. The survey also includes several specific risk and protective factors such as motives for (non)use, negative experiences, availability, social norms, expected reactions from friends and family, knowledge of legislation, school policy, procedures and assistance, school climate. The school board receives the school specific report on a one day workshop. First, results are framed. Secondly, intervention combo’s are proposed on 4 domains: education, care and assistance, school policy, structural measures. Finally, schools get into contact with regional prevention workers for specific training and coaching. After minimum 3 years, schools can participate again, evaluate efforts and adjust. For the near future we are thinking including a systematic community readiness assessment survey for teachers and school board for the benefit of better tailored coaching and training. Secondly we want to carry out secondary analysis on the huge amount of data we have on (1) school profiles and (2) assessment of high risk groups/ individuals for selective/indicated prevention.

ABSTRACT. Background and method Prevention of problematic gaming is even more unknown territory compared to alcohol and drug prevention. VAD in collaboration with Ghent University conducted a RCT among 386 primary school pupils (aged 10-12 years) of a universal prevention program for responsible gaming. Post mean intervention effects included social norms, negative gaming motives, protective knowledge, gaming regulations at home.

Results Initially, a negative intervention effect was found for perceived gaming norms: in the intervention group, student‘s perception about the norm on gaming in the weekend deviated away from the actual gaming norm in the weekend, while students in the control group evolved closer towards this norm. However, separate analyses for students who under- and overestimated the gaming norm at pretest showed different findings. In the intervention group both type of students appeared to evolve over time towards the average gaming norm, which means an increase for students who underestimated the norm and a decrease for students who overestimated the norm. For the control group only a significant decrease was found in students that overestimated the norm.

Intervention effects on norms weekend gaming (F=6.359, p<0.05): I: Pre 2.24 (SD= 1.37) -> Post 2.48 (SD= 1.37) C: Pre 2.72 (SD= 1.48) -> Post 2.50 (SD= 1.46) > Avg. game behaviour in weekend: 1.93 (SD=1.62)

I: Underestimate: Pre 1.21 (SD=0.49) -> Post 2.06 (SD=1.20) (t=-6.766, p<0.001) Overestimate: Pre 3.51 (SD:0.99) -> Post 2.95 (SD=1.32) (t=4.197, p<0.001) C: Underestimate: Pre 1.29 (SD=0.46) -> Post 1.53 (SD=1.01) (t=-1.712, n.s.) Overestimate: Pre 3.73 (SD:1.03) -> Post 3.22 (SD=2.37) (t=3.010, p<0.01)

Conclusion and discussion In the group of overestimaters we find beneficial intervention effects. The negative intervention effect on the perceived weekend gaming behaviour of class mates is mainly caused by the underestimaters. Research on alcohol prevention suggests that ‘under the norm drinkers’ do not start drinking more after intervention (Prince, Reid, et al.: 2014). Further research should clarify if similar effects for gaming can be expected in the group of underestimaters. Moreover, in case of an increase in gaming in this subgroup, research should longitudinally investigate associated harms or advantages.

ABSTRACT. Adolescent problem gambling is acknowledged as a public health concern. One approach to minimize the negative consequences of excessive gambling is to reduce the rate of the development of new cases of harm or disorder especially within underage persons by offering mandatory trainings for lottery retailer. Educational initiatives are intended to change internal knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and skills so as to prevent problem gambling (Williams, West & Simpson, 2012). Research has found that sustained information and awareness initiatives have significant potential to improve people’s knowledge and/or change their attitudes at a community-wide level (Duperrex, Roberts, & Bunn, 2002; Grilli, Ramsay, & Minozzi, 2004; Sowden, 2002). Research on the effectiveness of retailer training programs is limited. The primary objective of this study was to examine the impact of responsible gaming training and the personal attitude on compliance with the protection of minors in 1036 retailers of lottery products in Austria. The study applied Kirkpatrick’s (1998) four level model and Ajzen’s (1991) theory of planned behavior to examine how the retailer’s attitude to player protection measures, perception of pressure from society, assessment of barriers to implementation in the day-to-day sales setting and the training and education for lottery retailer provided from 2010 to 2014 influenced adherence to provisions to protect minors. Regression analyses were used to study the significance of these factors for adherence to such provisions, while CHAID analysis served to identify those traits that significantly distinguished the defined sales partner groups (no breaches versus breaches in mystery shopping tests) from one another. The results are being presented.

ABSTRACT. Following the evaluation of the EU-Dap Unplugged school-based intervention programme piloted in England in 2015/16, we will focus on implementation challenges and successes to draw learning for the sector around adaptation and transferability of existing evidence-based interventions to different contexts. This session will highlight learning and recommendations from both an academic and practitioner’s perspective.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the process and feasibility of a European school-based intervention programme ‘Unplugged’ among English young people and to contribute to the reduction of tobacco, alcohol and drug initiation by measuring the impact of mediating factors.

Schools in three areas in England with an acute problem of alcohol and drug misuse (n= 214 pupils from 10 schools) were selected. The study is designed as a one group pretest posttest design without a control group. The impact of the training was analysed using descriptive statistics and a paired t-test. Fidelity and satisfaction forms were used to evaluate the implementation process of the programme.

Although the process evaluation indicated that the programme is feasible for implementation in English schools, results were not as expected highlighting key factors for future development.

We focus on implementation and methodological challenges to suggest learning for the sector, also in relation to the cultural transferability and requirements for future adaptation to fit the English context and the educational system. These include: - Improved design and methodology of the study - Content adaptation specifically focused on accommodating young people with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) - Training and resources adaptation to ensure acknowledgement and integration of the local education and cultural contexts - Delivery adaptation to fit the fragmentation and inconsistency of the education system and framework through which prevention programmes are delivered (PSHE education)

ABSTRACT. Parents play the crucial role in the prevention of alcohol problems of children. Therefore, parents are the target group of the new brief educational scenario called ‘Jungle’ (‘Our children in the jungle of life’). The content of the program has been published in a book written for parents as well as described in the presentation used during the standard realization. The study is the first analysis of the reception of the realization of the program in three different adult groups: experienced teachers, local government staff, pedagogy students. Participants in all three groups were highly satisfied of taking part in the program. Furthermore, they assessed the program as a highly helpful tool for educational prevention working with parents. Finally, the opinion of participants about predicted effectiveness of achieving program’s goals was really positive. In the research we also take a trial to check whether there is the diversity in evaluation of the program depending on the age and the kind of the experience of the respondents (being or not being parent). The subjective satisfaction of participants as well as their opinion about importance and effectiveness of the program belong to significant aspects of program’s evaluation. Results encourage to further evaluation research and preparation of the program for implementation.

ABSTRACT. Research applying user-centred approaches to identify problems and needs, and develop solutions for sport populations is scarce. Nonetheless, this methodology presents great potential for facilitating peer-driven interventions and action-driven change. I introduce an action research process aimed at exploring performance and image enhancing substance (PIES) use among youth involved in leisure and recreational sports around Europe. Qualitative findings were initially obtained from focus group discussions (involving 18 young recreational athletes). Through Thematic Content Analysis and comparing focus group findings from partner countries, issues in relation to PIES were identified and subsequently, a follow-up co-creation workshop and informant-led workshops (17 participants) were carried out in the United Kingdom. A template outlining this procedure was provided to partner countries (Italy, Germany, Greece and Cyprus), who repeated the process in their territory. Returned issue/resolution completed templates from the four partner countries (amounting to 65 co-participants involved at an international level) were then analysed to identify patterns and relationships between proposed issues and resolutions. Results indicate that the lack of reliable information is perceived as overwhelming by co-participants in all European countries. Body image preoccupation appears to be an influential factor determining PIES use, and this aspect is corroborated by media ideals and aggressive advertising. Young people interested in PIES should be provided information that views substances for their function and not legal status. Unbiased and unified online information resources that balance benefits and risks associated to PIES use and other forms of enhancement are needed. Policies should address risks related to emerging trends and promote grassroot initiatives that provide alternative paradigms to interpret substance use. Findings from the study were utilised to model an online educational tool for the EU (safeyou.eu).

Acknowledgements: the author thanks the SafeYou Consortium for providing data from the European Partners.

ABSTRACT. Objectives Drug consumption rooms are a harm reduction method employed by 10 countries worldwide, however it has not yet been implemented in Ireland. However, with the recent changes to the legislation, the aim is to open such a service by the end of 2017. It will be very important therefore to address the rules and regulations for the potential service to ensure that it is suited to the local drug using population, as has been done by the established services worldwide.

Methodology This project asked a range of stakeholders in a potential drug consumption – service users, staff, medical professionals and policy makers – about what the access rules and regulations should be, and whom should be able to access this service and why. There were nineteen participants in total, semi-structured interviews were used for service users, medical professionals and policy makers, and a focus group was used for staff members. Interview question guides were informed through a literature review, as well as a compilation of existing rules and regulations from services worldwide.

Significant Results The key themes that emerged were visibility, discontent, and protection; the factors concerning access that emerged were supervision and assistance, child protection, and inexperienced users and age restrictions. Within these categories, the key issues were addressing overdose in a potential service, the problems surrounding drug using parents, and the public approach to drug related issues, and support for staff working in drug services.

Conclusions It was concluded that there are concerns from almost all participants regarding the established drug and health services in Dublin, particularly how they might not be able to support a new drug consumption room. Nonetheless, there was support for establishing such a service in Dublin from almost all participants.

ABSTRACT. As said in the introduction to the eighth EUSPR Conference: “ Over the previous decade, there have been important achievements in the field of prevention science. Our understanding of the development of health and social behaviours, and refinement of new research methodologies, quality standards and programmes, has allowed us to better respond to the needs of target populations..” On 14 September 2015, the Council of the European Union adopted Council conclusions on the implementation of minimum quality standards in drug demand reduction in the EU. This innovative initiative lists 16 standards that represent a minimum benchmark of quality for interventions. Drug use prevention is one of the fields where these standards apply. Although non-binding for national governments, this document represents the political will of EU countries to address demand reduction interventions through an evidence-based perspective. Most European Countries have a National prevention plan addressing the main diseases that can be prevented by adopting correct life styles. All around the world we have institutions and associations that are committed and focus on prevention as their main goal ( SPR, EUSPR, ISSUP…) It really looks like prevention is important and aknowledged and the examples shown are just a few among many others. Despite the consensus that prevention is essential and important, the results of 12 Focus groups (about 130 participants) held in 6 European Countries as part of the outputs of a project funded by the European Commission, show that prevention still needs advocacy and empowerment. Almost all the FGs participants underlined that although prevention is verbally and politically considered important and correct, this doesn’t appear in “real life”. When it comes to management and mobilisation of resources, the prevention field reflects a lack of financing and appears as a “Cinderella” beside treatment that captures most of the resources. No unified understanding about what is prevention, the difficulty in evaluation of its impact, the prevention work that isn’t a clearly defined profession and that hasn’t a focused training curriculum, the scientific evidences of what works in prevention that aren’t translated enough into practice and many other factors will be discussed and presented.

ABSTRACT. Ireland has been at the forefront of supporting Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) initiatives through partnership approaches between The Atlantic Philanthropies, NGOs and Government since 2004. In 2010, a group of prevention and early intervention service managers got together to support each other and share experiences and learning. Over a few years, the group expanded, received funding and became formalised as the Prevention and Early Intervention Network (PEIN).

In a short space of time the PEIN has become a well-regarded, credible, practice based voice and now brings together 33 evidence-based practice, advocacy and research organisations seeking to improve outcomes for children, young people and families, and to promote quality, evidence-based/informed practice in prevention and early intervention (PEI). We promote PEI approaches that range from interventions to support parents from the earliest moments of conception, all the way through to activity with young people on the threshold of adulthood.

As a network we work to share information and learning, support innovation and best practice, and promote ongoing service improvement. Our aim is to achieve longer term change whereby PEI is integrated into all child and family services across the lifecycle. In pursuit of this, in 2016 we led a national campaign to raise awareness of and integrate the principles relating to prevention and early intervention into policy, practice, and the public domain, and were successful in influencing the current Programme for Government.

This presentation will share the approaches taken to our policy influencing strategy, the lessons learnt and our consistent messages about what is needed to establish high quality prevention and early interventions.

ABSTRACT. Since 2010, Office for Combating Drugs Abuse of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, and University of Zagreb, Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences, have been conducting collaborative projects with the purpose of improving Croatian drug use prevention efforts, programs and strategies. Implementing new program or a strategy is a comprehensive process that needs to be facilitated through variety of supporting mechanisms. The exquisite example of transferring knowledge into practice is development and implementation of the European Drug Prevention Quality Standards - EDPQS (Brotherhood and Sumnall, 2011) which is adopted in Croatia through one of the mentioned collaborative projects of the Office and Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences. Efforts in the aforementioned will be presented in the paper through program providers’ and decision makers’, particularly with respect to study participants’ educational background (pedagogy, social pedagogy, psychology, medicine, social work) main field of work (health/medicine, education, social welfare) and role in prevention work (coordinator, implementer). The aim of this research is to explore opportunities and challenges within the current state of the EDPQS implementation in order to facilitate this process more systematically and in an effective manner. The data have been collected by an online survey for prevention programs providers (survey is still active, N=208) and 3 focus groups with program providers, decision makers and researchers (N=23). Concept of initial readiness for transfer of knowledge (EDPQS) to practice (prevention programs) was explored with an emphasis on motivation and specific organizational capacities for EDPQS adoption.

ABSTRACT. Background: The European Drug Prevention Quality Standards (EDPQS) project developed the first European framework for high quality drug prevention. To promote the standards and bring them closer to the everyday practice Toolkits were developed. One of the toolkits targets the policy makers. The toolkit was built on the learning from focus group interviews with the representatives of relevant actors in the drug prevention community.

Problem: Policy makers, decision makers are expected to serve the public good and tackle a wide range of health and social problems within a context of financial shortages and constraints. This also applies to the drug prevention field. The everyday practice, the experiences with underlying policies and policy making processes show that policy makers need practical guidance and support to better understand the importance of quality and quality criteria in drug prevention work, as well as how to apply this knowledge when faced with difficult choices about funding and support for initiatives or programmes.

Possible solution: Clear recommendations on the different aspects of drug prevention have to be given that are required to achieve quality. The developed Policy guide with an Assessment Quality Criteria Checklist reflects on this need. It considers the major challenges related to prevention work and offers possible ways of overcoming them. It reveals some of the misunderstandings and misbeliefs, and the expectations related to drug prevention. It offers a reference point for how best to achieve quality through consideration of the EDPQS, as well as suggests how carefully planned policy can support quality. It also considers some important related financial issues. The fundamental role and value of needs assessment and evaluation in programme planning is also discussed together with sustainability and ethics as vital aspects of prevention policy and practice.

Conclusions: The focus group discussions supported the need for a policy guide but concrete, practice oriented support is also crucial as policy makers work under time constrains with lower attention capacity. The presentation will summarise the most important problems and issues related to this field and the use of the toolkit.

ABSTRACT. Family Nurse Partnership (FNP) is an evidence-based home visiting programme for young mothers (clients). In 2015 a major RCT in the UK found no impact on primary outcomes but some encouraging findings for a subset of secondary outcomes. Since then, the FNP National Unit and the Dartington Service Design Lab have sought to respond constructively to these findings in a project called ADAPT: Accelerated Design and Programme Testing. This involves adapting the programme and testing those adaptations.

The adaptations take two forms. Clinical adaptations seek to improve outcomes in key public health areas and involve changing programme material and approaches to delivery. The focus has been on attachment, breastfeeding, intimate partner violence, maternal mental health, neglect and smoking cessation.

System adaptations involve helping nurses to personalise the programme by changing the eligibility criteria, flexing the content, adjusting delivery intensity and allowing some clients to exit the programme early. A bespoke assessment tool has been developed to support nurse/client decision-making as part of these changes.

Adaptations have been co-produced by nurses, commissioners, subject experts and, to a lesser extent, clients. In this way, the approach incorporates user experience, practice knowledge, insights from the science of child development and evidence on ‘what works’.

Qualitative and quantitative data are being collected regularly on both the clinical and system adaptations. These data will be analysed and the findings used to inform further adaptations as part of the rapid cycle innovation methodology that includes approximately 3 change and test cycles within one year.

We will present our learning so far, covering the co-production method, resulting adaptations, and our experience of implementing rapid cycle innovation and testing with many, varied stakeholders. This learning highlights the challenges of changing a well-established programme with a strong professional culture, exacerbated by the external climate of austerity and commissioning threat. We will also reflect briefly on the strengths and weaknesses of the approach and lessons for others seeking to do similar work.

ABSTRACT. Family-based programs aimed at selective drug use prevention in adolescents often focus on improving family relationships and positive parenting. In general, there are few evaluations of the effectiveness of family programs that deal with adolescents at risk and their families. It is very difficult to compare different programs because there exists great diversity within the samples, a lack of homogeneity in the methodology of assessment approaches, and the specific components of interventions are rarely identified. For these reason this meta-analysis is the first analytical approximation about family selective programs.

The objective of this study is to verify the efficacy of selective family interventions on the prevention of consumption among adolescents aged 10-18 years and their families. These programs are aimed at strengthening the family through improving positive parenting and family relationships.

Methodology. A meta-analytic review of studies has been conducted from January 2001 to January 2016 on selective drug prevention programs for adolescents and their families. The search was carried out in different databases and only randomized or quasi-experimental studies with pretest and posttest measurements with N> 10 were incorporated. The selection was performed by two reviewers and the degree of agreement among reviewers was calculated using Cohen's Kappa coefficient (k = .686)

Results. Seven studies with 79 measures grouped in Family Relationships and Positive Parenting have been analyzed. The mean effect size (TE) was 0.77, with a Q (df = 78) = 154.76, p <0.001, and an I2 = 51.69%.

Conclusion. Few studies have been identified that meet the inclusion criteria and have an assessed family intervention component. Despite obtaining a high ET, the heterogeneity indices suggest that the conclusions are limited, since there is a disparity between studies (measurements, constructs, samples, etc.). This fact demonstrates the need to systematize and standardize the methodological descriptions of the studies in order to be able to compare interventions. Even though the scarcity of studies included in the study, the results are congruent with those found by other authors in similar studies. These types of studies can help to recognize the need to homogenize the research to be able to compare results.

ABSTRACT. Background: Alarmingly, 97% of health spending across Europe goes on treatment as compared to only 3% on prevention. There is not much different situation in the field of informal and/or formal education and training of prevention scientists, researchers and other professionals (including practitioners). Initiative called UPC-Adapt received substantial EU funding in 2016 to adapt Universal Prevention Curriculum (UPC) into the European context and establish some national education and/or training frameworks in 9 EU countries including Slovenia. Objectives: Collaboration between UTRIP and the Faculty of Health Sciences (University of Ljubljana) has been officially established in February 2017 to develop, pilot and evaluate informal and formal prevention-related courses and studies based on UPC-Adapt and wider UPC concept in the forthcoming two years (2017-2018) and also beyond this period (through long-term commitment by both institutions). Methods: Both institutions will develop, conduct and evaluate one-week pilot training for prevention professionals based on UPC-Adapt concept. Furthermore, they will develop, conduct and evaluate academic UPC-Adapt version, which will include focus group discussions as pre-pilot activities as well. This version will present a baseline for development of future Master and/or PhD study of prevention science at the Faculty of Health Sciences. Slovenian version of manual will be developed, distributed to trainees and evaluated as a baseline tool for all future prevention study and training materials. Results: Some of the expected results include: (1) developed and tested informal training for prevention professionals (especially practitioners); (2) developed and tested baseline academic courses which will be used as a tool for future prevention study development at the Faculty of Health Sciences; (3) developed and tested Slovenian version of the UPC-Adapt manual; (4) enhanced and active international collaboration of both institutions regarding future prevention courses and study developments (such as collaboration within ICUDDR, EUSPR etc.) etc. Conclusions: Representatives of both institutions will present a comprehensive collaboration strategy at the conference, which has been developed in purpose to strengthen prevention workforce in Slovenia and improve situation regarding evidence-based prevention and (last but not least) outcome evaluation culture in this field in Slovenia.

ABSTRACT. The contribution desrcibes development of cooperation between researchers, specialists, policy makers and the public in the area of prevention of risky behaviour in the Czech republic. Nongovernmental organisation Magdalena enters into partnership with Department of Addictology, the First Faculty of Medicine of Charles University 10 years ago. After this we start with the systematic process of collaboration with quality standards and guidelines in prevention and policy makers, which has been positive and negative results, successes and failures. The cooperation is compared in specific examples on local, regional and nation levels. The interdeparmental collaboration in the national level could be the advance in progress, but we are at the beginning of this.

ABSTRACT. Background: Child welfare and mental health systems in the UK are facing unprecedented challenges, with a rising demand for services set against a backdrop of severe budget constraints. For child welfare services, many local jurisdictions will have experienced a 40% reduction in their overall allocated expenditure by 2020, combined with an increase in placement costs for children taken into care. For mental health services, priority actions set by the UK Government include the delivery of: 24/7 access for those in crisis, integrated physical and mental health service provision, greater support in the community, and a stronger emphasis on prevention and early intervention. All within an increasingly constrained budget.

Methods: System dynamics modelling (SDM) provides one way of understanding and simulating potential strategy directions to inform system reform efforts. Such models are co-produced using a process of group model building. Preparatory work for model building has included: workshops, interviews, and focus groups with practitioners, senior managers, commissioners, and service users.

Findings: Group model building (GMB) has formed the first co-produced maps of these local child welfare and mental health systems, producing insights into some of the drivers and dynamics of those systems, and a clear sense of the strategy areas of focus for the models and future work. The benefits of GMB go well beyond the insights gained from the final models themselves, with the process of stakeholder engagement and the generation of co-produced system maps, connection circles, and causal loop diagrams resulting in much needed communication between parties within the system. This allows those in leadership and commissioning roles to understand the complexities of the systems they are in, and see how the strategy decisions they make can have unintended and unexpected consequences.

ABSTRACT. Background: Mental health systems in the UK are facing unprecedented challenges, with a rising demand for services set against a backdrop of severe budget constraints. Recent priority actions for mental health services include: 24/7 access for those in crisis, integrated physical and mental health service provision, greater community support, and a stronger emphasis on prevention and early intervention. Mental health systems are both complex and adaptive, with behaviour in one part of the system potentially impacting upon other parts in unintended ways. For this reason, system dynamics modelling (SDM) is an appropriate and potentially powerful tool for aiding system reform efforts. This presentation shares the insights from the first phase of work with one Clinical Commissioning Group in the South West of England – an area with pockets of severe economic disadvantage – where SDM, in combination with survey data on children’s need, were used in an innovative project to combine system reform and prevention work.

Method: Group model building consisting of: stakeholder interviews, focus groups and workshops, provided qualitative data to map out the local mental health system and some of its underlying dynamics. Epidemiological survey data was also collected from 5,845 children aged 9 to 16 using our ChildrenCount Well-being Survey, providing quantitative data to establish levels of child need in the local community. System dynamics modelling was used to simulate some initial system reform ideas.

Findings: The creation of system maps enabled key points of difference between adult and child mental health systems to be identified and gave senior managers and commissioners sight of the first ever full visual representation of their system, allowing them to understand its complexities and its connections. Cluster maps enabled the identification of key issues such as the time delay between assessment and support, the limited knowledge referrers possessed about the mental health services available, a lack of family support, limited early intervention to prevent escalation, and limited support in the community after initial treatment is completed. Potential strategy areas included the provision of service brokerage to reduce the need for re-assessment and the provision of greater community supports to aid recovery.

ABSTRACT. UNODC has an ongoing global initiative promoting evidence based prevention programmes in line with the UNODC International Standards on Drug Use Prevention (focusing on low/middle income countries). The UNODC collaboration with Lions Clubs International Foundation availed the opportunity to pilot Lions Quest Skills for Adolescence (LQSFA) as part of this initiative. LQSFA is a programme targeting elementary school age students and built on a Social and Emotional Learning approach. The abbreviated (40 session) version of LQSFA was used during pilot in close coordination and partnership with the Ministries of Education of concerned countries.

Following translation and adaptation of LQSFA, a total of 5,041 elementary school students (2,954 cases and 2,087 controls) from 85 schools in Serbia, Montenegro and FYRO Macedonia participated in the pilot. The programme was implemented through 231 teachers trained on its content. Pretest and posttest questionnaires were implemented at the beginning of the school year (t0) and at the end of it (t1), in both cases and controls. An analysis of the change of the indicators (delta change) between t0 and t1 was undertaken in cases and controls, by country.

The average age of the students was 13.3 years (47% to 50% of the sample- depending on the country- were girls). The programme showed a significant effect on current use of substances as well as intention to use substances in the next 3 months among ever users. Moreover the programmes has improved refusal skills of these three substances as well as the normative belief associated to their use among peers. The perception of harm of such substances was also positively affected.

This impact was noted despite challenges in implementation (only a few of these schools managed to undertake all 40 sessions of LQSFA in one academic year). This paper will discuss the results recorded while presenting the challenges and lessons learned during operations. It will also put into perspective how results from this pilot further advocated for change in the quality and type of prevention interventions at the political level within the UNODC ongoing technical assistance to its Member States to avail evidence based responses and systems.

ABSTRACT. Line Up Live Up! is a 10 session open-source and evidence-informed intervention designed under the UNODC Global Program for the Implementation of the Doha Declaration: Towards a Culture of Lawfulness.

It comes as a tool to use sport for prevention and as such to fill an evidence need identified in the UNODC International Standards on Drug Use Prevention. Line Up Live Up is a universal prevention program for 13-18 yrs old youth in marginalized communities with mixed levels of risk on crime-, violence- or drug-related behavior. It can be implemented universally, and has been designed for use in low resource settings.

Each of the 10 sessions includes sports activities and a debriefing session aiming at increasing and training life skills in order to achieve changes in attitudes and behavior to prevent crime, violence and drug use. It is evidence informed as it is: a) constructed on the basis of United Nations International Standards on Drug Use Prevention as well as the Standards on Crime Prevention; b) inspired by the evidence of the Unplugged school intervention and adapted to fit sport coaches’ context; and c) enriched with inputs from consulted experts in the field of crime, violence and drug use prevention.

Although the program has not been developed for youth already in contact with the law, the material could still be relevant for sports programs that target this group of at-risk youth. The intervention is community based, focusing on sports centers, and youth centers or other community settings with sports oriented activities.

This presentation will give an overview of the development process of this new prevention tool and the ongoing plans of UNODC to avail and pilot it in several countries in Central and South America, Southern and Eastern Africa and Central Asia.

ABSTRACT. Background: „ICare – Integrating Technology into Mental Health Care Delivery in Europe“ (Horizon 2020 EU-project, GA No. 634757) aims to establish an online platform which encompasses evidence-based interventions for health promotion, risk detection, disease prevention, and treatment facilitation for common mental health problems. Many European countries have not implemented E-Mental-Health approaches into health systems until now and knowledge about their sustainable implementation in practice is scarce. Objectives: As stakeholder commitment is a key component for reach, adoption, successful implementation and dissemination of prevention programs, needs and attitudes towards Internet-based prevention of mental health problems among healthcare professionals (facilitators), representatives of payors, policymakers, and expert advisors (governing level) as well as potential target groups in Austria, Germany, Spain and Switzerland were explored. Methods: A mixed-methods approach was used (online questionnaire for facilitators, semi-structured interviews by telephone or in-person on the governing level, focus groups with target groups’ representatives). Ten focus groups, 16 interviews and 190 online questionnaires were analysed. Results: Attitudes towards online prevention in mental health are rather positive. Most positive attitudes were found in Switzerland, whereas reservations were highest in Austria. Anonymity, low timely and regional thresholds, and the potential of online prevention as an entry to professional help were emphasised as advantages. Concerns about data security, the missing face-to-face contact and the risk of false diagnosis were mentioned as main disadvantages. Therefore, online prevention in mental health should include data protection declarations and possibilities to contact professionals or peers. Furthermore, credibility, usability, and individualisation were highlighted as important characteristics. Conclusion: Stakeholders’ acceptance of online prevention in mental health is relatively high. However, E-Mental-Health should rather complement face-to-face interventions than replace them. Country differences might reflect differences in the degree of dissemination of online interventions and thus different levels of according experiences. Quality standards are an important issue.

ABSTRACT. Sexual violence within the nightlife environment is increasingly being identified as a major issue. Although reliable data is scarce or not comparable, particularly when referring to nightlife settings, a previous study carried out in five Southern European resorts among British and German tourists showed that around 8% of the tourist had experienced sexual harassment and 1.5 reported sex against their will. In addition, data from the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) shows that the problem is common across the 28 Member States with an average EU rate of 13% of women reporting the location of the most serious incident as a nightlife area.

The project STOP-SV is developing a strategy to prevent and combat sexual violence in the nightlife context, oriented to increase knowledge on this under-researched issue and create intelligence from the work undertaken in each pilot site (Prague, Czech Republic; Coimbra, Portugal; and, Majorca, Spain). In addition, a prevention programme to train staff working in the nightlife premises and protocols are being prepared in close collaboration with the night-time economy (NTE) and other key agents.

The strategy combines two main lines of work: i) Training of staff working in nightlife premises; and, ii) the constitution of community coalition to facilitate changes in the context. Emphasis has been place in the active involvement of the NTE as the driving force of the strategy. Therefore, NTE representatives play a key role both in the development of the training materials and logistics of implementation, facilitating the trainings and the participation of their staff. As well as participating at community level to increase sensitization on the problem and the dissemination of the prevention strategies for further social involvement including the economic sector, government and administrations and civil society organizations with particular interest in youth organizations.

ABSTRACT. Introduction: European crime policies are increasingly focusing on drug-related crime and nuisance. Since 2007, the Belgian government prioritizes drug-related nuisance in its municipal ‘security and prevention contracts’. Subsequent projects are situated at the intersection of security-, health- and welfare perspectives. Furthermore, they are based on a dark prevalence number of drug-related crime and nuisance. Within the framework of a Federal Science Policy funded research study (SOCPREV) we examined how drug-related crime and nuisances are conceived an translated into preventive practices and conducted a realist evaluation of these interventions in Flanders, Belgium.

Methods: To gain preliminary understanding of the scope and content of these interventions we composed a representative sample of Flemish federally appointed and associated prevention workers (n=30). Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted to identify the conceptualisation of drug-related crime and nuisance among the practitioners and to identify eligible projects for realist synthesis. Eligibility criteria for the inclusion of interventions were that they directly aimed at the prevention of drug-related crime or nuisance and that they complied with at least half of the Green List conceptual, implementation and evaluation quality standards.

Results: Respondents mostly refer to targeting drug-related nuisance instead of crime because of similar conceptualisation in funding requirements. Only a small number of projects was eligible (n=5) because few complied with half of the Green List standards. We describe the hypothesised mechanisms (M), contextual preconditions (C) and qualitatively describe outcomes (O). We submit that contextual preconditions (such as legal and policy conceptualisation) are part and parcel of project evaluation possibilities and subsequent project quality. Finally we discuss some ontological and methodological considerations for future realist evaluation of interventions and provide suggestions for future policy oriented research aimed at policy and practice improvement in the area of the social prevention of drug-related crime and nuisance.

ABSTRACT. Unplugged is universal school-based prevention programme for preventing alcohol,tobacco and other drug use and alcohol abuse and is based on social influence approach. In school year 2010/2011 it was piloted in Slovenia with the collaboration of OED Institute in Torino. The programme was found effective in reducing the prevalence of use of cigarette smoking, alcohol use and drunkenness episodes.It reduced intentions to use in the next year, with reductions 50 - 82% and improved refusal skills towards alcohol, cigarettes and cannabis.Since 2011 the number of schools implementing the programme is increasing and as part of the process evaluation, we receive information about the "secondary" effects of the programme, which have never been scientifically evaluated. For example, teachers report about better relationships between teachers and pupils, among the pupils themselves, less agressive behaviour and better communication etc. We think that these reports should be scientifically evaluated so that the program becomes more than just "drug abuse" prevention programme which would probably make the programme more accepted among other schools. The elaboration of the questionnaire, the pilot implementation of the programme and the evaluation will be part of the doctoral work and the conference is the most suitable place where all these aspects could be discussed.

ABSTRACT. Social Network Sites (SNS) are used on an everyday basis by billions of people around the world. In June 2017, Facebook, the most popular SNS, has exceeded the number of 2 billion monthly users around the world. Whereas its CEO associates positively the growth of the SNS with an ability to connect the world and to bring it closer, concerns regarding the influence of unhealthy behaviors among people raise. Few studies have been done in France on SNS use and on associated unhealthy behaviors. In a more general manner, it could be hard to find in the scientific research a consensus about what type of SNS use would influence the user and to what extend that use and its influence could lead to a problematic behavior such as an addiction. Prior the elaboration of a wider research on SNS use and unhealthy influence, a questionnaire has been developed in an exploratory perspective. Three behaviors associated to public health problematic have been targeted: alcohol use, tobacco use and eating habits. To evaluate a hypothetical problematic related to these behaviors, three validated scale have been used: the Alcohol use disorders test (AUDIT), the Fagerström test to test the nicotine dependency and the SCOFF questionnaire to detect eating disorders. In order to evaluate Facebook use, questions have been asked about the amount of time spent on the SNS, the number of connection on it and the number of friends associated to the profile. 270 participants completed the survey. From the initial results and among the three different types of Facebook use, the number of friends seems to be the only variable correlated to respondents’ positive or negative behaviors. A deepest analysis will be made prior the conference.

ABSTRACT. Risky drinking behaviours among adolescents are associated with various negative psychological, social and physical outcomes. Evidence illustrates that consumption of alcohol increases dramatically between 12-15 years of age, yet little research explores why this occurs. Given this worrying trajectory it is vital to examine what influencing factors come into play, within the communities that make up this age group, and whether they can help to explain such behaviour changes. This study applied Social Norms Theory, which is particularly relevant here as adolescents often inaccurately estimate rates of alcohol use among their peers to be higher than the reality for that population; as a result they may initiate alcohol use early or drink more intensely in order to meet the perceived norm. The aim of this study is to investigate changes in alcohol related attitudes, behaviours and perceived norms among adolescents aged 12-15 years to uncover what influences such changes. A longitudinal convergent mixed methods study design was employed, collecting data at the beginning (T1) and end (T2) of an academic year. Pupils from first and second year classes (12 to 15 year olds) in post-primary schools in Ireland were invited to take part in the study. Participants at T1 (N=407) had a mean age of 13.4 years. Self-administered questionnaires assessed behaviours, attitudes and perceptions with regard to alcohol, while focus group discussions further explored adolescents’ attitudes and normative beliefs towards alcohol. Quantitative findings reveal inconsistencies between self-reported and perceived drinking behaviour of close friends and peers. T1 data show 87% of respondents reported being non-drinkers themselves; 81% reported their close friends as non-drinkers, whereas only 45% reported their peers as non-drinkers. These numbers fell significantly within the academic year, with T2 data showing 79% self-reported non-drinkers (P<0.01); 67% reported their close friends as non-drinkers (P<0.001); and only 31% reporting their peers as non-drinkers (P<0.001).Thematic analysis of Focus Group data will allow for deeper insight into these changes. Investigation of this key time period will yield novel data that will inform the development of interventions aimed at preventing and delaying early alcohol initiation among Irish adolescents.

ABSTRACT. Background: Desired improvements in health outcomes can only occur, if effective programs are effectively and sustainably implemented. However, most of the studies investigating implementation efforts consider only one indicator of program implementation and there is still a lack of evidence on the interplay between different indicators. Objectives: To identify which combinations of teachers’ and implementation process’ characteristics affected the outcome “positive school-experience” (SCE) of pupils participating in an integrated school-based health promotion program. Methods: This study was part of an effectiveness and process evaluation including 24 intervention and 27 control classes. Fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) was used to identify combinations of conditions that were associated with either no or with an increase in the outcome SCE in comparison to the control group at 18 months post treatment. Conditions were selected based on theory and in depth-knowledge of the cases. Four conditions were examined: teachers’ perceived self-efficacy, teachers’ expectations of the benefits of the intervention, dosage of physical activity breaks, and quality of implementation. Results: Overall, of the 16 logically possible combinations of causal conditions to explain non-success, 13 combinations could be observed, revealing a high diversity of causal combinations. These combinations of causal conditions were further simplified into three different recipes (coverage: 68%; consistency: 93%). These included low levels of perceived self-efficacy and low expectations regarding the benefits of the interventions, low expectations regarding the benefits of the intervention, low quality of implementation and high dosage of physical activity breaks and the third solution containing high expectations of the benefits of the intervention associated with low quality of the implementation and low dosage of physical activity breaks. Furthermore, three different recipes could be identified which explain pathways to success. Conclusions: QCA has great potential for an in-depth analysis of complex programs and the results can guide further implementation of programs. Standard statistical analysis requires a larger sample size to assess associations. QCA can rely on detailed description of small to medium sample sizes, common when comparing different intervention sites. The quality of the implementation process should be monitored during the implementation phase.

ABSTRACT. Botellon is the Spanish term referring to alcohol use in the streets. Social norm models predict that the social environment is going to influence the relationship between alcohol use and perception of drunkenness. Because botellon means that people use alcohol in the street while they are socializing it has to be studied as a social behaviour and in its natural social context. The aim of this study is to analyse the relationship between alcohol concentration and perception of drunkenness and the influence of social environment. 439 people doing botellon in the street participated in this research (47.3% women). They had a mean age of 23.2 years (SD=5.3). We used breath alcohol tests to have an objective measure of alcohol concentration (mg/L), and we asked the perception of drunkenness (Likert scale) as well as information about the natural group of friends with whom they were in the street. Statistical differences were found by gender in breathalyzer scores: men had higher breathalyser scores (mean=0.36mg/L, SD=0.35) than women (mean=0.26 mg/L, SD=0.19) (t=3.419; df=327.389; p=0.001). Correlation between alcohol concentration and drunkenness perception in alcohol users was statistically significant for both women (r=0.358; p<0,001) and men (r=0.179; p=0,011). Alcohol concentration was lower when more people in the groups had a breathalyser score equal to zero. Interestingly, in those groups where up to 50% of components had a breathalyser score equal to zero, correlation between alcohol concentration and drunkenness perception was low (r=0.287; p<0.001); and in groups where more than 50% of friends had a breathalyser score equal to zero, correlation between alcohol concentration and drunkenness perception was higher (r=0.609; p<0,001). Decision tree (Breiman, Friedman, Olshen, and Stone, 1984) shows that alcohol concentration can predict drunkenness perception but in people with heavy drinking the percentage of people not using alcohol in the group has also an important role. Alcohol use in the street is usual and when consuming alcohol in a social setting, drinkers are not able to assess properly their level of intoxication based on their alcohol intake, leading to associated risks. Perceived peer drinking norms could modify alcohol use.

ABSTRACT. In 2010, Brazil lunched the Integrated Plan for coping Crack and other drugs, as a way to respond the emergence of crack use in open scenes throughout the country. The Plan included three axes: Prevention, Care and Authority. In 2013, the Ministry of Justice, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, initiated preventive and health promotion actions for schoolchildren and their families. The Federal Government, in partnership with UNODC, selected three international prevention programs that, according to the literature, were associated with delayed and avoiding the first use of psychoactive substances, as well as reducing the degree of abuse. The programs chosen were: Unplugged (Brazilian version #Tamojunto), Good Behavior Games (Brazilian version Elos) and Strengthening Families Program (Brazilian version Famous Families). In 2016, FIOCRUZ, in partnership with the Ministry of Justice, implemented the #Tamojunto program in 52 schools and Elos in 43 schools, in the states of Rio Grande do Norte and Ceará. The present project intends to investigate factors capable of facilitating and / or complicating the implementation of prevention actions in schools and the perception of adolescents, parents and teachers about the impacts of the program, in order to contribute to drug prevention strategies in Brazil. We will select 8 schools where 3 different focus groups (FG) will be carried out with 10 participants each: one with teachers, one with parents and one with children / adolescents who participated in prevention programs in 2016. After the focus groups, In-depth interviews will also be conducted with key informants selected from each FG. The study will begin data collection in August 2017.

ABSTRACT. Background Drug prevention campaigns have responded to the spread of drugs through various mediums based on different strategies. Considering the reach and influence of media campaigns on perceptions and attitudes, a study was conducted to examine the impact of Drug Prevention Media Campaigns (DPMCs) in the Arab world on youth drug prevention attitudes and to inform prevention strategies aiming to strengthen youth resiliency against drugs.

Methods Nationwide phone surveys were conducted in 3 Arab countries, Kuwait, UAE, and KSA with 430 respondents aged between 18 and 30, selected from a random digital-dial sample. Attitudes of youth targeted by DPMCs were compared to a control group, also assessing the relationship between audio-visual campaigns and prevention attitudes, taking into consideration various demographic variables.

Results Results attested to the fact that Arab youth utilize media, particularly modern communication technology, at higher rates than more traditional means. Around half of the respondents were subjected to DPMCs and demonstrated strong prevention attitudes compared to the control. Kuwaiti media campaigns were most effective in fostering anti-drug attitudes. In KSA, fear-based campaigns were most effective; however, Saudi youth seem to demand prevention interventions at all levels. Emiratis were most eager for policy-based prevention strategies.

Conclusions The study confirmed patterns in the relationship between demographic variables and anti-drug attitudes; showing that age and education are directly related to prevention behaviors. Therefore, younger, less educated groups among youth are the most vulnerable and least resilient. Internet based media appears to be the most effective and widest reaching. In strategizing DPMCs, attention should be given to the most vulnerable youth population, particularly those aged between 15-18 and with a lower level of socio-economic and educational attainment. The results present a pilot model of research for expanded examinations and the establishment of drug prevention policy advocacy strategy.

ABSTRACT. Mental health disorders account for a large percentage of the total burden of illness and constitute a major economic challenge in industrialized countries. Mental health and compassion approach represent new horizons of study and evidence-based prevention, particularly important, for both, communities and clinical settings. However there is dearth of literature relating mental health, depression, anxiety, fear of compassion and psychological inflexibility in adolescents. To study the association between depression and anxiety, fear of compassion and psychological inflexibility by gender in a sample of adolescents.

Participants were 106 adolescents from schools (male n=47 M= 16.53, SD= 1.039; female n = 58, M= 1.117, SD= 1.117; t= 1.286, p= .201) who were assessed using a Sociodemographic Questionnaire; Mental Health Literacy questionnaire Depression (with the depression and alcohol vignettes only) Anxiety and Stress Scale- short form, Fear of Compassion Scale, Experiential Avoidance and Cognitive Fusion Scale. Data analysis included descriptive measures (mean, standard deviation) and inferential analyses.

The results indicate that there is statistically significant gender differences, with higher means for girls than for boys, such as for DASS21_Ansiedade (M= 3,94, p=.008), DASS-21_Stress(M= 8.02, p= .007), AFQ_Total(M= 37.59, p=.000), FSC self and others (M= 20.52, p=.034). Positive and significant correlations were found, for example, between questions of mental health literacy and DASS21_depression (rho=.292; p=.05); between FCS self and othersDASS21depression (rho= .472; p=.01), anxiety (rho= .277; p=.05), AFQ (rho= .584; p=.01), (rho= .599; p=.01); for female gender. Given the previous results, a multiple regression analysis was conducted by gender in order to clarify which dimension, DASS21-depression, DASS21-anxiety, AFQ total was a best predictor of the FSC-self and others. Results showed that AFQ (β = .489 p <.05) and DASS21-anxiety emerged as significant predictors (β = 1,409, p < .05) for boys and AFQ (β = 1,190,p <.05) and DASS21- depression emerged as significant predictors (β = 0,489,p < .05)

The results of this pilot study are promising. However, they must be seen as preliminary since we need a larger sample. The preceding findings speak to the importance of investigating, depression, anxiety, psychological inflexibility and gender tin predicting fear of compassion for self and others.

ABSTRACT. A large body of literature has explored family factors that may contribute to the intergenerational transmission of substance use, but it is uncertain whether parental substance use itself matters or whether other factors account for this association. There is no RCT study exploring the effect of parental substance use on the effectiveness of primary prevention in their children. Data on Czech children suggest a high prevalence of substance use leading to exposure to serious long-term health problems. We conducted a randomized, controlled, 3-arm, prospective, school-based prevention trial to study the effectiveness of the two independent prevention interventions (Unplugged and nPrevention) in comparison to a single prevention intervention (Unplugged) and no intervention at all. There were seven waves of data collection conducted from September 2013 to June 2017 with total of 14,683 valid questionnaires collected in children. In 2014, questionnaires were completed by 1,931 parents resulting in 1,730 unique valid linked child-parent pairs. The Unplugged intervention was implemented in the 6th grade during the 2013/2014 school year, the n-Prevention intervention was delivered in the 7th grade. Other prevention activities were monitored. The effectiveness was assessed using the method of Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE). Effective, as compared with the (no intervention) control group, after the six follow-up (44 months after baseline) appears both interventions (nPrevention + Unplugged, and Unplugged only) only in the Prague schools. In the whole sample, we found almost none statistically significant effectiveness in the intervention groups. More than the substance use of parents, risk behavior of children can be predicted by the very fact that the parent not participated in the study. The results regarding the influence of parental substance use are contradictory. In children whose mother smokes, the effectiveness on children smoking and drinking seems to be lower. In children whose father smokes, the effectiveness seems to be higher especially in the nPrevention + Unplugged study group. Alcohol consumption by parents does not have such a significant effect. Implication for further dissemination and research will be discussed.

ABSTRACT. Gender issues are especially important in childhood and adolescence, because of the impact on the development and well-being of children, young people and their families. Through two case studies, we intend to reflect on the influence of the family system, especially of the parents, in the processes of social construction of gender. If the experience of the male and female roles during childhood, regardless of the sex of the child, is accepted at an early age by the family as an important stage of development, maintaining these actions at later ages causes manifest distress in the family. This anguish often translates into repressive attitudes and behaviours that can affect development and do not allow the freedom and autonomy of the individual's choices. The social representations of the individual and of the sexual roles interfere in the educational practices and in the construction of the image of the body, the self-esteem and the experience of its relations with the other individuals. Following the course of two life histories, we seek to understand the impact of the processes of social construction of gender, stereotypes and attitudes on development and well-being in the family system and reflect on the issues of parental and social education for universal prevention

ABSTRACT. Background: The growth of Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (EC) has led many policymakers to worry about regulating it even though we still know little about the short and long term public health consequences of its use. Today, an estimated 25% of the French population has tried EC and 6% of the 15-75 years. A qualitative study was realized with the objectives to document youths’ experiences, knowledge and beliefs about e-cigs. Methods: A medical anthropologist conducted 50 individual interviews with 16-17 years old from February to July 2017. The sample includes female and male tobacco smokers and nonsmokers teens living in 2 different French regions with different size of the living area. Semi-structured interview guide was used to facilitate an 'interview' situation but the questions were not restrictive in order to discover the people’s pathway and their representative associations. Analysis: The data was collected and analyzed following the grounded theory methodology so that each successive interview is guided by the analysis of the previous ones. Results: 90 % of the 15-17 years old admitted that they have tried EC before. They tried EC under their peers’ influence, to fit in, and to enjoy the vapour by playing tricks with the smoke. Most of them have stopped EC after its experimentation. The majority of our sample showed limited or no knowledge about EC composition. Most of them had doubts about the safety of EC. They are not sure that health effects of EC are better than CC (Conventional Cigarette). Compared with CC, youth indicated that they would be less willing to use EC under their peer influence. Tobacco smoking is considered easier to access and use than EC and therefore remains the "norm" for adolescents and a factor of social integration.

ABSTRACT. The Public Ministry of the state of Rio Grande do Norte, has requested strategies in prevention actions for the use/misuse of drugs from the National Secretary of Drug Policies of the Ministry of Justice (SENAD/MJ), responsible for advising brazilian states and municipalities on drug policies nationwide. The Secretary (SENAD), through an agreement with Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, from the Ministry of Health (FIOCRUZ/MS), welcomed the request and settled a partnership with the state’s government and the municipalities of Natal, Parnamirim and Mossoró. This partnership aimed for the implementation of three prevention programs for the use/misuse of alcohol and other drugs: “Jogo Elos”, a brazilian version of the Good Behavior Game – GBG, “#TamoJunto”, a version of Unplugged; and “Famílias Fortes” an adaptation of the Strengthening Families Programme – SFP. The implementation of the three programs in the state of Rio Grande do Norte involved intersectoral articulation between the Secretary of Health, Secretary of Education and Secretary of Social Assistance of the three municipalities mentioned, and also the State Department of Youth, the Social Assistance Reference Center (CRAS), the Basic Unit of Health (UBS), Municipal and State Schools of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Public Ministry. Considering the involvement of these government instances, it was taken as theoretical framework the intersectoral approach, described in academic literature as one of the essential precepts of implementation policies involving different government sectors and civil society, and the integration between sectors that intent to foster the implementation of such policies (Nascimento, 2010). This integration took into consideration the competences and specificities from each area involved, that in result, besides joining forces, strengthens the National Policies on Drugs (PNAD, 2006). This presentation focuses on the results obtained in 2016, in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, of the implementation of three prevention programs for the use/misuse of alcohol and other drugs. The study used as measurements of result the number of trained facilitators, youth and family benefited from the program, and particularly, the degree of integration of the different sectors of public service involved, taking into account the perspective of intersectoriality.

ABSTRACT. Alcohol use is not declining, despite that the consequences of this practice are well known. In this sense, alcohol abuse in young people is especially dangerous, because endangers them in multiple ways, including physical and psychological problems. In this work, we assess the prediction power of several alcohol use-related variables to predict alcohol use of young people that are gathered in street parties. We use a sample of 362 participants (54% men), with a mean age of 23 years old (7.2% underage). We have measures of alcohol concentration in expired air, and other alcohol use-related measures informed by the participants. While the main body of the analysis in the field of substance use has been done with classical statistical techniques, few studies use Data Mining tools, which enable to find new ways to analyse and represent data, especially when data increases in size. In this work, we implement data mining predictive models, through a series of Data Mining classification techniques: Decision Trees, K-Nearest Neighbor, Naïve Bayes and Artificial Neural Networks. Through this methodological comparison, we show how different techniques or algorithms have a better functioning in different data sets, and using a diversity of algorithms is advisable to finally select the best model. This way yields insights and relationships that could not otherwise have been detected, and therefore may be useful to implement prevention programs of alcohol use in this population.

ABSTRACT. This presentation describes LifeShare, a pilot-scale collaborative initiative that seeks to provide opportunities for asylum seekers and refugees (hereafter migrants) to become active participants within communities and to begin the process of cultural acclimatisation and assimilation. The innovation involves a partnership between Open Doors (OD), an initiative of the Methodist Church in Kingston-upon-Hull, and the Time Bank Hull and East Riding (TBHER). OD aims to help migrants by offering accessible, direct, first-level material and emotional support in a safe, friendly environment. TBHER seeks to strengthen community inclusion and cohesion across Hull, using the timebanking mechanism of reciprocal service exchange to enable members to contribute to a moneyless, mutual-aid economy of service-exchanges and group activities. Through their collaboration, the organisations seek to create opportunities for constructive engagement of migrants with the local community and for improving mutual understanding, so widening the set and sources of supports and services available to them while respecting legal restrictions on working.

The presentation will review the challenges of migrant integration in Hull in the context of high levels of asylum-seeker placement, multiple deprivation and cuts in public expenditure, as well as the opportunities afforded to the city by its designation as the 2017 UK-City-of-Culture and the launch of Hullcoin, a programmable local cryptocurrency to incentivise positive social impact. It will describe the practical experiences to date of bringing migrants and the host community together. The presentation will also explore the challenges faced by the organizations in working towards their common goal while addressing their own sustainability challenges.

The case illustrates how community and social innovation organisations already form part of a prevention infrastructure which provides early, effective and cost-saving interventions when and where these are needed but which struggles to find recognition and funding, is severely underdeveloped, and is eroding rather than consolidating and growing. The presentation focuses on the supporting innovations in policy and financing that are needed to build a prevention infrastructure for migrants in the EU and for social innovation organisations to contribute more generally as part of a coherent prevention infrastructure.

ABSTRACT. The use and abuse of psychoactive substances by adolescents is a global phenomenon and its onset has been increasingly precocious. The family system has been presented as one of the factors that influences the abusive relationship of adolescents with alcohol and drugs. The Programa Famílias Fortes (PFF) is a universal and selective preventive program for children and adolescents who are not yet involved in severe problems caused by drug use and family that have not yet had broken ties and drug abuse. The actions are implemented in public policies aimed at children and adolescents between the ages of 10 and 14 and their parents, in order to avoid drug abuse, antisocial behavior and intrafamily violence. Is a scientifically proven preventive tool for the consumption of psychoactive substances and is being adapted in Brazil based on the Strengthening Families Program (SFP-UK), which is based on social ecology and resilience. The Secretaria Nacional de Políticas sobre Drogas (SENAD), in partnership with Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), has been implementing, since 2015, the Programa Famílias Fortes state of Rio Grande do Norte-RN in the cities of Natal, Parnamirim, Mossoró , Macau and Parelhas. The PFF interactively seeks to work on the development of life skills, protection factors and the strengthening of family ties, in order to instrument the members of families to be protagonists of a process of prevention of drug use and other risk behaviors more effectively This study aims to evaluate the importance of strengthening the family ties in alcohol/drug abuse prevention among adolescents and their families through an experience report on the impact assessment and quality of the Programa in the State of Rio Grande do Norte. The spaces of community interaction can provide reflection and re-signification of the parental styles adopted in the families and promote the strengthening of family ties, increasing the capacity of its members to deal with situations of insecurity and conflicts. The prevention focusing on family relationships ensures improvement in quality of life and can prevent the abuse of psychoactive substances.

ABSTRACT. In France, the issue of youth smoking remains a major challenge for public health. If the peer influence can encourage tobacco use, we observe that the peer education has therefore a beneficial potential to change smoking behavior of adolescents. Moreover, it was demonstrated that Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) has yielded the best prediction of intentions and behavior in several health domains. In P2P program, voluntary students in professional high schools conceived and performed their own intervention, based on the TPB (with help of trained educators), to reduce their schoolmates smoking. The main objective of this study is to measure the 2 years impact of the P2P program on a highly exposed young population composed by students from professional schools. Between 2013 and 2014, a cluster randomized controlled trial was performed among 1573 students enrolled in 15 professional high schools in France. 749 students in the interventional arm received a program (P2P) in which voluntary peers of each school have designed and carried out anti-smoking actions based on TPB within their own institution. After the intervention and 24 months after baseline assessment, daily smoking prevalence was determined. Secondary endpoints included smoking behaviors and noted a posteriori the level of theoretical implementation of the peer-led actions. P2P program prevented an increase of 6.5 points in daily smoking prevalence at the end of the intervention. A high level of implementation increases the impact of the intervention, mainly among smokers, and appears to strengthen their subjective norms against tobacco. These results showed the potential benefit for participants in this experiment to reduce their likelihood of smoking. Acknowledgement: this research was supported by a grant from INCa (Institut National du Cancer) RISP 2013 and SIRIC of Montpellier (Grand INCa-DGOS-Inserm 6045)

ABSTRACT. The aim of our comparative and validation study was to authenticate the predictive abilities of Substance Use Risk Profile Scale, which has already been standardized in Czechia. The method includes four scales: Hopelessness, Anxiety Sensitivity, Impulsivity and Sensation Seeking. We compared a highly representative standardization sample of 5,062 individuals aged 11-16 from the common population with a group of 200 adolescent inmates of Institutions for protective and preventive residential care (Children’s homes with school and Corrective institutions) at the age of 11-17 years. This is a high-risk group of adolescents that have already manifested risky behaviour in repetitive or persistent pattern (such as antisocial behaviour, extensive drug use, etc.), and thus they also meet criteria of conduct disorder. We used this group as a criterion for confirming the concurrent empirical validity of the SURPS method. The differences between those samples were seen in the Negative Thinking (significant increase), Hypersensitivity (significant decrease), and Impulsivity (significant increase). When we compared girls and boys, it turned out that the statistical significance and effect size slightly differed. Using the ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curve and other methods, we were also looking for optimal cut-off scores of all four scales of SURPS. Properly set cut-off scores can indicate future serious problems and therefore can be used to recommend individuals to the indicated prevention programs. The current practice is based just on a statistical deviation (1 SD above the mean) when determining the intervention threshold. A detailed description of the results of the monitored group also brings its deep knowledge and allows more targeted work with inmates in the Institutions for protective and preventive care. A sub-norm data for a group of high-risk adolescents in juvenile corrective institutions was also created, which contributes to the improvement of psychological diagnostics in this context.

ABSTRACT. Introduction Normative beliefs have been studied in different contexts, especially in peer influence, school environment, drawing parallels with behaviors such as substance use, violence, and bullying among other response patterns. This study intends to observe moderation of normative beliefs in professionals of a prevention program and investigate possible impacts on preventive interventions. Method Data were collected on perception of prevention professionals (teachers and health professionals) of #Tamojunto, adapted version of Unplugged in Brasil, through individual estimate, and later groups average regarding the prevalence of substance use patterns of one-time use in life, one-time use in last month, and 6 or more times use in last month, of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana and inhalants by adolescents from sixth grade to middle school, and later compared with national epidemiological data on substance use (Cebrid, 2010). Results Data indicate a large difference between professionals beliefs about substance use in relation to national research. The prevalence in Cebrid research was lower than the perception of professionals in all patterns of use, ranging from 59 times smaller (in the case of frequent use of Marijuana) to a relatively close percentage in the alcohol use pattern (difference Of only 10% or 1.18 times higher than the research indicator). Conclusion It was verified the approximation in the responses of the groups and individuals, and great difference with research data (more evident in relation to Marijuana, Inhalants and Tobacco). Questions and subsequent research may investigate determinants involved in such a pattern. Normative beliefs can be a determinant variable of the quality of prevention, and even a complementary form to observe, monitor and evaluate in smaller scale than the tests with students. In any case, it is interesting to observe beliefs in different contexts and investigate their relationship with different substance patterns and prevention interventions.

ABSTRACT. Background. Some decline of substance use among teenagers is recently observed in Poland as well as in several European countries including Iceland where significant positive changes are attributed to the implementation of carefully designed prevention model. Objectives. To examine 30-year changes in alcohol and other drug use among Warsaw adolescents and potential reasons of positive changes in the past decade. Methods. Repeated, cross-sectional population-based school surveys with nine waves of pooled data; conducted in a part of Warsaw (population > 370000); with participation of 15-year old students (in 2016 n=850, in 1984 and 1988 n > 3000) from randomly selected classes (app. 50%). Anonymous questionnaire measured substance use and factors associated with family, school and life-style. Findings. Between 2004 and 2016, the 30-days prevalence of alcohol use declined from 50% to 28%; binge drinking – from 21% to 12%. Annual prevalence of cigarette smoking decreased from 32% to 25%. Examination of primary prevention and life-style factors indicated most significant changes in two areas: time spent out of home (declined over time) and time spent on Internet (increased over time). Decreasing trend in adolescents cigarette smoking, probably to great extend might be explained by parental modelling – in the past 30 years the percentage of non-smoking parents increased from 27% to 61%. Conclusions. It is hard to attribute declining trends in alcohol and cigarette use by Warsaw adolescents to preventive measures implemented at local or national level. However these trends might be associated with global changes in adolescents life-style, especially with the growing tendency to spend more time in virtual reality (Internet) then in physical – real-life contact with peers.

ABSTRACT. Female genital mutilation (FGM) as defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO), is any procedure that intentionally alters or causes injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons (1). The practice has serious implications for the health of affected women, and has an impact on the enjoyment of their full sexual and reproductive health rights.

According to UNICEF, Nigeria has in the past had the largest absolute number of women and children that have had FGM (2), and although the practice has been declining in recent years, the recent Nigeria Demographic Health Survey conducted in 2013 showed that 25% of Nigerian women aged 15-49 have been circumcised. There is a wide variability across ethnic groups, with the Tiv and Igala reporting very low numbers, while among the Yoruba and Igbo, the figures are 55 and 45% respectively (3).

Many studies have been conducted on the practice of FGM and the awareness of the issue among the Nigerian population, however, little is known about the attitudes and experiences of Nigerians in diaspora. Does the practice simply die out with emigration from the country of origin? What is the prevalence of FGM among first and second-generation immigrants, and how much is known about the issue?

This study aims to answer those questions with a survey of Nigerians in diaspora. The author hopes that the information gleaned from the study will reveal further areas of research, as well as help in the design of campaigns that are relevant to this particular population.

The study is ongoing, and results will be available in September.

1. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs241/en/ 2. https://www.unicef.org/nigeria/FGM_.pdf 3. http://dhsprogram.com/publications/publication-fr293-dhs-final-reports.cfm

ABSTRACT. The transition to college is a critical developmental period when all aspects of a person’s life are in flux. Freshmen are particularly prone to stress stemming from the adjustment to the novel academic environment, different social expectations, and newly gained sense of freedom. The heightened vulnerability to stress may provide fertile grounds for declining mental health, deteriorating academics, and unhealthy relationships. Current statistics in the USA and Canada show the evidence that college students face alarming levels of mental health difficulties (overwhelming anxiety, depression symptoms, social isolation) and subsequent consequences of maladaptive coping skills (alcohol abuse, procrastination, drop-outs).

In efforts to implement campus-level interventions, one particularly promising approach that is receiving growing attention is mindfulness. This practice fosters stress resilience, attention and focus, healthy coping, and the potential to promote the development of a person as a whole. Mindfulness skills may particularly be relevant to first-year college students as they can promote stress management and effective emotion regulation skills to facilitate the transition process.

This poster will examine the feasibility and effectiveness of mindfulness training at posttest and 3-month follow-up during the 1st year of college. A pilot randomized wait-list controlled trial was conducted with 109 freshmen living in residential dormitories. The immediate post-test effects of an eight-session college-adapted mindfulness program [Learning to Breathe (L2B)] on the health, well-being, and academic performance showed that the intervention group in comparison with the control reported significant improvement in life satisfaction, and decreases in depression, anxiety, sleep issues, and alcohol use. At a 3-month follow-up, we found sustained effects on life satisfaction, depression, and sleep issues. Furthermore, we found an intensification of effects for additional indicators of healthy adjustment to college and belonging to the student community. The results suggest that developmentally timed mindfulness-based training can lead to improving 1st-year college students’ coping skills, mental health, and well-being.

ABSTRACT. This paper explores the objectives of 25 adolescent substance prevention programmes scored for quality of evidence and impact by CAYT-ADEPIS. Adolescence is a time of opportunity and for learning new skills and a time when the brain is more adaptive than it will ever be again. It represents a period of brain development during which environmental experiences, including teaching, profoundly shape the developing brain. This is a unique opportunity and sensitive period for introducing substance prevention programmes. Although numerous programmes aim to address adolescent substance prevention, there is often poor uptake by practitioners of evidence-based programmes and not all programmes utilize this neurobiological opportunity. This is apparent from the diverse range of expected outcomes reported in programme evaluations submitted to CAYT ADEPIS. Four themes were identified in relation to expected outcomes – behavioural change (for example a decrease in risk-taking behaviour), improved health and wellbeing (for example, improved mental health), soft outcomes (for, example an increase in self-confidence and communication) and hard outcomes (for example an increase in numbers of young people engaging with education, employment, training or volunteering). Expected outcomes are discussed in order to support evaluators, practitioners and intervention developers to deliver and foster the global effectiveness of adolescent prevention programmes.

ABSTRACT. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of two school-based substance abuse prevention interventions: Unplugged and nPrevention. We conducted a cluster, randomized, controlled, 3-arm, prospective, school-based prevention trial (supported by the Czech Science Foundation, Grant No. 16-15771S) to study the effectiveness of the two independent prevention interventions in comparison to a single prevention intervention (Unplugged) and no intervention at all. There were seven waves of data collection conducted between September 2013 and June 2017, with total of 14,683 (50.5% males) valid questionnaires collected. The Unplugged intervention was implemented in the 6th grade during the 2013/2014 school year, the n-Prevention intervention consisting of four lessons (including two supportive animated videos for children about neurology and neurobiology of addiction, further modified the intervention lessons) was delivered in the 7th grade. Fidelity dimensions were measured. The effectiveness of primary prevention activities will be assessed using the method of Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE). Results will be presented with respect to group allocation, gender, and region. Data are to be analyzed but preliminary results indicate no iatrogenic effects of the Unplugged + nPrevention or Unplugged alone. Main study outcomes will be also compared with the previous RCT conducted in the Czech Republic. Implications for further dissemination and research will be discussed.

ABSTRACT. Cancer primary prevention aims to limit the incidence of cancer by controlling the exposition to identified risk factors. The presently known exogenous factors offer promising prospects for cancer prevention. By acting on these exposure factors one third of cancers will be avoidable. To succeed in prevention, it is important to carry out health behavior change interventions based on robust scientific methods. According to Hawe et Potvin (2009), “Population health intervention research involves the use of scientific methods to produce knowledge about policy and program interventions (…)”. Research and preventive action, while closely interrelated, are frequently carried out by various stakeholders, who have not the same approach concerning context, objectives and evaluation. Stakeholders’ representations and prejudices currently create real barriers to produce evidence-based knowledge, which would be shared by all prevention actors. Moreover interventions based on behavioral and educational theories as well as social model may lead to better understand the process driving to prevention programs effectiveness and to facilitate their transferability in other contexts.

Owing to the relative scarcity of behavioral, educational, psychosocial-based and evaluated program in France, the idea of creating a platform for cancer primary prevention research emerged in December 2015 through a partnership between the three Centers dedicated to cancer prevention nationally (Epidaure, prevention department of the Montpellier Regional Cancer Institute; Hygée, prevention department of the Cancéropôle Lyon Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes; and Antéïa JDB-Cancer Prevention Foundation in Ile-de-France). This research platform aims to federate various scientific domains (psychology, sociology, educational sciences and epidemiology) relying on knowledges and know-hows of the three prevention Centers. The platform will optimize the development of research interventions based on behavioral and educational theories in direct collaboration with prevention workers on the ground.

ABSTRACT. Introduction: In 1996, STAD (Stockholm Prevents Alcohol and Drug Problems) initiated an alcohol prevention program in Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) targeting the nightlife setting. The RBS-program consists of community mobilization, training of serving staff, and enforcement. Program evaluations have shown a significant increase in the refusal rates of alcohol service to intoxicated patrons, from 5% (1996) to 70% (2001), and a decrease in the frequency of police-reported violence by 29%. A cost-effectiveness analysis showed a base case cost-saving ratio of 1:39. The program was subsequently institutionalized and maintained by a collaborative steering group. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the long-term effects of this RBS-program on the frequency of refusal rates of alcohol service to obviously intoxicated patrons at licensed premises.

Methods: The study was conducted using the same procedure as the baseline assessment in 1996 and follow-ups in 1999 and 2001. The current study was conducted during Fall 2016. Six professional male actors (i.e. pseudopatrons) were trained by an expert panel to enact a standardized scene of alcohol-intoxication. Six research teams, each consisting of two actors and one observer, visited licensed premises and attempted to order a beer. A total of 146 licensed premises located in the central part of Stockholm were randomly selected and visited.

Results: Results indicate that the rate of refusals of alcohol service to obviously intoxicated patrons has been sustained over time. At the 20-year follow-up the pseudopatrons were denied service of alcohol at about 77% of the attempts, a statistically improvement compared to 5% at the baseline study in 1996, and sustained effects relative to the previous assessments in 1999 (47%), and in 2001 (70%).

Conclusions: The results demonstrate sustained long-term effects of the multi-component program and can be explained by the high level of institutionalization of the RBS-program.

ABSTRACT. Objective: An integrative review of the literature of published papers in the last five years (2012-2017), which approach the socioeconomic factors of alcohol consumption in adolescence, was carried out. Method: The information was extracted of the following databases: DARE, NHS EED, HTA, SCOPUS and PubMed, in English and Spanish. The relevant papers were identified using the MeSH descriptors combined with the Boolean operator AND and OR, with the following search equations: [(“socioeconomic factors” OR “socioeconomic determinants”) AND (“alcohol consumption” OR “alcohol use”) AND (adolescen* OR teenager*)], [“socioeconomic factors” AND “alcohol consumption”], [“socioeconomic factors” AND “alcohol use”], [("socioeconomic factors" OR "socioeconomic determinants") AND ("alcohol use" OR "alcohol consumption" OR "binge drinking") AND (adolescen* OR teenagers)]. The last search was done 10th June 2017. The question PICO (patient-problem/intervention/comparation-treatment/outcomes) format was: “gaps in the literature about the socioeconomic determinants of alcohol consumption in adolescents”. This format was used to get better search results, which meet the review goal. Results: In relation to potential socioeconomic factors that can influence alcohol consumption in adolescence, we can say according to the findings of several studies that some of these could be: age, gender, race or ethnicity, social norms (parents alcohol use, substances use peers, parental monitoring and behaviours), education attainment, parents education level and occupation, income, economic status or position, family affluence, other substances use, nationality, nativity, immigrant generation, family composition and functioning, community level social factors, present illness, religious belief, social media and sexual orientation. Conclusion: After reviewing all these studies lead to show that there is a lack of information on causality. Most of the evidence collected in this review was from cross-sectional studies. The difficulty in assessing causality, coupled with the lack of interventional studies and the often conflicting results make it difficult to make firm policy recommendations. Probable future lines of research in relation to the associations between socioeconomic factors and alcohol use could be: to explore in depth the relationship between alcohol-attributable disease, socioeconomic status and alcohol use as well as to examine through longitudinal studies the causal relation between addictive behaviours and SES (socioeconomic status).

ABSTRACT. In the paper we summarize the partial results of empirical correlation research from the data obtained by the depistage questionnaire (Kopányi, Matula, 2013) on the national sample N = 59155 (elementary school pupils 6-15yrs). By selecting sociodemographic indicators and anamnestic data relevant to the research objectives we have identified aggregate indices that can be good aggregate indicators of analyzed phenomena such as risk behavior, socially disadvantaged family background, learning disorder rate, and other. The interrelationships of the variables examined and the contextual dimension of risk behavior can serve as a basis for setting effective prevention.

ABSTRACT. Background: Long-term investigations of screen-based sedentary behaviour [SSB] are rare. The aim of the study was to examine systematic changes in television and computer time over a period of 12 months. Methods: A number of 174 individuals (M=54.4 years, SD=6.2; 64% women) with no history of myocardial infarction, stroke, or vascular intervention participated in a study aimed to test the feasibility of a brief intervention to increase physical activity and reduce sitting time during leisure time. At baseline and after 12 months, participants attended a cardiovascular examination program. At baseline and after months 1, 3, 4, 6, and 12, they completed the “7-d sedentary behavior questionnaire”. A random subsample received a counselling letter intervention after months 1, 3, and 4. Changes in SSB over time were analysed using random-effects modelling. Results: Participants spent 3 h/day (Median, IQR: 2.1-4.3) at baseline, 2.8h/day (1.9-3.7) at month 1, 2.4 h/day (1.5-3.8) at month 3, 2 h/day (1.2-3.1) at month 4, 2.8 h/day (1.8-3.9) at month 6, and 2.8 h/day (1.8-4.1) at month 12 in SSB. Time x study group interactions were not significant. Results of random-effects modelling including the total sample indicated a decrease of SSB after 1 month (p = 0.044), 3 months (p = 0.003), and 4 months (p = 0.049). SSB increased between 4 and 6 months (p = <0.001). Between 6 and 12 months, no change in SSB was observed. Conclusion: Results revealed a continuous decrease of SSB within the first 4 months. Between 4 and 6 months, SSB increased. Similar changes of SSB in the intervention and the control group might be explained by mere-measurement effects and altered response behaviour according to the frequency of contacts that vary between study periods.

ABSTRACT. Introduction: Growing numbers of children in mainstream schools receive additional help from school based support staff to address their additional learning needs, with the aim of ensuring they achieve positive outcomes. Without additional support, many children have poor long-term outcomes in terms of academic underachievement, mental health difficulties and lifelong challenges including unemployment. School based support staff have varied backgrounds and experience in dealing with the challenges presented by the children they support and can be ill-equipped to manage the social and emotional problems of some children who may become disruptive or withdrawn. There is strong evidence that parenting skills interventions can improve child outcomes, and the positive behaviour management strategies taught in these programmes are also effective in improving nursery staff and teacher relationships with children. In addition to improving relationships with children these programmes also reduce negative child behaviour and improve children’s nursery or classroom engagement. SKILLS (Support for Kids in Learning and Language Strategies) is a five week web based programme developed for school support staff that teaches core social learning theory principles designed to strengthen relationships through child-led play, increase praise and develop children’s language skills. This study is the first evaluation of the programme. Methods and analysis: Participants will be school-based teaching support staff who work on a 1:1 basis with children aged between 3 and 8 years. They will be recruited from local schools. The primary outcome measure is increased use of positive behaviour strategies as measured by a behavioural observation of the teaching assistant engaging the child in a 1:1 reading session. Secondary outcomes include support staff self-reported measures of sense of competence and work stress and teacher ratings of child behaviour. Data will be collected at baseline and after the five week intervention. Participant evaluation of the relevance of programme content will be collected after completing each chapter and overall participant satisfaction will be collected at the end of the course. Ethics: Ethical approval was granted by Bangor University School of Psychology Ethics Committee in January 2017 application number: 2017-15924.

ABSTRACT. Unlike other substance use, it has not succeeded in reducing rates of cannabis use, which is the most used illegal substance among Spanish adolescents according to data from the last edition of the National Survey on Drug Use among Students aged 14–18 (ESTUDES (2014-15). This is consistent with data collected through the Spanish Household Survey on Alcohol and Drugs (EDADES 2015/16), which show a worrying increase in the levels of consumption among young population. Updating consumption levels (incorporating the 12-13 year age range), estimating risk consumption and, above all, analyzing the possible implications and associated variables are inescapable challenges for a better prevention. These were the objectives of this paper. The results obtained with a sample of 3,882 Galician adolescents aged between 12 and 18 years (M = 14.52; SD = 1.72) reveal that nowadays the percentage of adolescents who use tobacco and cannabis is higher than that of those who use tobacco alone (12.7% vs 10.5%). This implies not only a higher probability of consuming other illegal substances, but also of developing high-risk drinking, binge drinking or even of experiencing Problematic Internet Use or cyberbullying. In terms of prevention, the results reveal that personal variables such as self-esteem, assertiveness, social skills or impulsiveness have weak explanatory power, compared to other variables related to setting rules and limits by the parents