Problem The global coronavirus (COVID‐19) pandemic has been challenging for adolescents. Indeed, with the closure of schools and social centers and reduction of extracurricular activities, increased social isolation has compounded difficulties in and with school performance, loneliness, and social networking. Increased risk of mental health problems, substance abuse, affective disorders, suicidal ideation, and suicide has been reported in adolescents. Methods This cross‐sectional study assesses the association between loneliness, depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, the use of social networks, and school achievement in a sample of Italian adolescents during the COVID‐19 pandemic. This study also explores emotional dysregulation through the association between affective disorders (depression and anxiety), substance use, and social networks. The sample comprises adolescents in the first and second grades of high school during the pandemic; participants received an email explaining the purpose of the e‐research. Data were collected using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment, and the Loneliness Scale. Findings A total of 505 adolescents completed the web survey. Data revealed that students experienced difficulties with loneliness, problems with school achievement, and extracurricular activities. The mean scores for depression and anxiety were close to the borderline range. A total of 14.3% of adolescents intentionally harmed themselves or attempted suicide. Conclusions This study raises concerns about the impacts of the pandemic on adolescents that require the attention of adult reference figures who deal with adolescents, such as parents, teachers, and healthcare professionals. Results indicate the necessity of providing early interventions aimed at the prevention of psychopathologies and the promotion of adolescent mental health due to the pandemic.

Background Growing empirical evidence suggests that adolescents have a relatively greater propensity to develop problematic video gaming or gambling habits. Objective The main objectives of this study are to estimate the prevalence of potential pathological gambling and video game use among adolescent students and to evaluate their risk factors. Methods This is a cross-sectional multi-informant study based on an online survey. It will include a sample of adolescents attending secondary schools located in Brescia, northern Italy, their schoolteachers, and parents. The survey includes extensive data on adolescents’ (1) demographic, social, economic, and environmental characteristics; (2) behavioral, emotional, and social problems and adaptive functioning; (3) emotional and social loneliness; (4) perception of the reasons to use social networks; (5) video game habits and pathological use of video gaming; and (6) gambling behaviors. Results This protocol was approved by the Institutional Ethics Board of the Spedali Civili of Brescia (Italy). We expect to collect data from 793 or more adolescent students, as determined by our sample size calculation. Conclusions This multisite project will make a substantial contribution to (1) the implementation of a system for identifying pathological gambling and pathological video game use among adolescents, allowing for interventions aimed at improving adolescents’ financial, emotional, and social well-being; and (2) the identification of distinct profiles of gamblers and pathological video gamers that will contribute to setting up effective targeted prevention measures. Understanding the causes and impact of gambling and pathological video gaming on adolescents is a public health issue. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/33376

Adolescence is characterized by emotional instability and risk-taking behaviours that can lead to, among other things, an increased risk of developing pathological video-gaming and gambling habits. The aim of this Study is to assess the prevalence and type of video gaming and gambling habits in adolescent students attending Italian upper-secondary schools. The cross-sectional study was conducted via an online survey using validated questionnaires. The primary outcome measures were the prevalence of past-year video gaming and gambling activities. The sample consisted of 502 adolescent students from first- and second-grade secondary schools. A total of 40.8% of participants were video gamers, 4.8% were gamblers, 17.8% were both video gamers and gamblers, and the remaining 36.6% were not players. Among participants who reported video gaming activity (n = 294), 68.0% were classified as nonproblem gamers, 24.5% as at-risk gamers, and 7.5% as disordered video gamers. Among the participants who reported gambling activity (n = 113), 85.8% were not problematic gamblers, 8.9% were at-risk gamblers, and 5.3% were pathological gamblers. Only 0.2% of all subjects met the criteria for both pathological gambling and pathological video game use. The findings indicate that video gaming and gambling are common leisure times among adolescent students. However, a small but significant minority of these adolescents met the criteria for either severe problem gaming or gambling or both.

The closure of schools, social hubs, and extracurricular activities due to lockdown measures imposed to curb the spread of SARS‐CoV‐2, has increased the risk factors for students' mental health. This cross‐sectional study, conducted from March 2020 to March 2021, aimed to estimate socio‐emotional, cognitive, and affective disorders and substance use in a sample of first‐ and second‐grade high school students in Northern Italy. This study compared data from 284 Italian students' self‐perceptions along with the perceptions of their parents and teachers through a web‐based survey. The differences in the perceptions of the three groups (students, parents, and teachers) were analyzed using an analysis of variance test, applying a Bonferroni correction. The χ2 test was used to assess the comparison between students, parents, and teachers in the substance use questions. The results showed statistically significant differences among the three groups. The most important outcomes were sociality, scholastic performance, extracurricular activity, emotional symptoms, affective disorders (depression and anxiety), and substance use. These findings could be interesting for the promotion of mental health and prevention of psychopathological risks in students.

BACKGROUND Growing empirical evidence suggests that adolescents have a relatively greater propensity to develop problematic video gaming or gambling habits. OBJECTIVE The main objectives of this study are to estimate the prevalence of potential pathological gambling and video game use among adolescent students and to evaluate their risk factors. METHODS This is a cross-sectional multi-informant study based on an online survey. It will include a sample of adolescents attending secondary schools located in Brescia, northern Italy, their schoolteachers, and parents. The survey includes extensive data on adolescents’ (1) demographic, social, economic, and environmental characteristics; (2) behavioral, emotional, and social problems and adaptive functioning; (3) emotional and social loneliness; (4) perception of the reasons to use social networks; (5) video game habits and pathological use of video gaming; and (6) gambling behaviors. RESULTS This protocol was approved by the Institutional Ethics Board of the Spedali Civili of Brescia (Italy). We expect to collect data from 793 or more adolescent students, as determined by our sample size calculation. CONCLUSIONS This multisite project will make a substantial contribution to (1) the implementation of a system for identifying pathological gambling and pathological video game use among adolescents, allowing for interventions aimed at improving adolescents’ financial, emotional, and social well-being; and (2) the identification of distinct profiles of gamblers and pathological video gamers that will contribute to setting up effective targeted prevention measures. Understanding the causes and impact of gambling and pathological video gaming on adolescents is a public health issue. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT DERR1-10.2196/33376