engleski

Development, implementation and evaluation of youth gambling prevention program in Croatia

In year 2011. first comprehensive Croatian national research on youth gambling was conducted. The aim of the research was to explore the strength that experiences with gambling activities, specific motivation for gambling, ways people think about gambling, and broad personality dimensions have in explaining psychosocial consequences of adolescent gambling. A representative sample of 1.952 high-school students from four major Croatian cities (regional centers) participated in the study. The results were used as a base for development of youth gambling prevention program named “Who really wins?”. Prevention program “Who really wins?” is based on national research results but also on relevant and recent literature reviews on effective gambling prevention programs for children and youth. In school year 2012/2013. developed program was implemented in two 1st and two 2nd grades of two different types of high schools in Zagreb. Process evaluation showed high fidelity in program implementation and high level of students’ satisfaction with program. For the effectiveness evaluation, control trial was conducted and the results showed significant effects in intervention group on knowledge about gambling, cognitive distortions and relevant social skills that were integral part of the prevention program. The evaluation results were starting point for program improvement and modification and preparation of the program implementation package for dissemination. Described process represents the model of development of evidence-based prevention programs that are still insufficiently developed in Croatian prevention practice.

youth gambling; prevention program; implementation; evaluation

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