Sociologist, partner in Eclectica, research institute in Torino (IT), vice-director at the EMDAS, European Master on Drug and Alcohol Studies, University of Torino (IT), Associate professor (title of docent), University of Helsinki. Affiliate: University of Helsinki Centre for Research on Addiction, Control and Governance (CEACG). Research interests: drinking, drugs, gambling, addictions, health promotion, sociology of health. Qualification for Associate Professor in Sociology (SPS/07).
To date, studies of peer-led online harm reduction communities have focused on web forums, arguin... more To date, studies of peer-led online harm reduction communities have focused on web forums, arguing that online spaces are strategic settings for both obtaining up to date information on substances and patterns of drug use and implementing new forms of outreach on the web. The present study analyzes the content and dynamics of a spontaneous users’ group on Telegram, where a team of peer workers was invited to intervene. The study’s aim was to learn more about people who use drugs’ communities on chat apps and provide insights to professionals wishing to implement harm reduction interventions in this type of environment. After obtaining the chat administrator’s permission, all content posted on the chat from March 1 to May 31, 2020, was analyzed adopting an abductive approach. It was found that peer-led communities based on a chat app are not very different from earlier web forum communities. The findings also show that the chat’s activity does not run counter to the public health per...
International Journal of Alcohol and Drug Research
From comparisons of World Health Organization statistics, it is clear that people in lower-income... more From comparisons of World Health Organization statistics, it is clear that people in lower-income countries experience more harms per litre of alcohol and different types of harms compared to those from higher-income countries. Yet studies in higher-income countries dominate research on policies to prevent alcohol problems. The paper reports on results of collaborative work to map priority areas for research relevant to low- and middle-income countries. Research focus areas were identified and discussed among potential coauthors from diverse fields with relevant knowledge, with agreement reached on an initial list of seven research priority areas. Areas identified include: (1) the effects of choices (e.g., national vs. local, monopoly vs. licensing system) in organising the alcohol market; (2) involvement/separation of alcohol industry interests in decisions on public health regulation; (3) options and effectiveness of global agreements on alcohol governance; (4) choices and exper...
This research project is aimed at identifying risk and protective factors of social withdrawal, b... more This research project is aimed at identifying risk and protective factors of social withdrawal, by studying some areas of young people's psychological wellbeing. The study took place in a medium-sized town in the north-west of Italy. A total of 1,102 students participated in the study. An online survey was sent to all the students attending the second year of local high schools, then the results were combined with those from two focus groups involving young people and adults. The findings indicate that socio-cultural factors may be the reasons why social disengagement is so widespread. The societal pressure to be successful in every life domain may push young people, unable to conform, out of the competition. Bullying, negative school experiences and stress are associated with an over-investment of time on the internet, a harbinger of social isolation. This study's findings suggest the need to plan student initiatives, to identify the warning signals of the phenomenon.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse dynamics amongst members to better understand in ... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse dynamics amongst members to better understand in what terms and to what extent marketplace forums can be seen as new forms of harm reduction. Design/methodology/approach This is a qualitative analysis focused on conversations about psychoactive substances on the forum community of AlphaBay Market. A sample consists of 100 online threads. The data, collected in July 2016, were analysed by applying the grounded theory approach with the support of Atlas.ti. Findings Conversations in the marketplace forum focus mostly on the purchase. Concerns and disputes are voiced in a significant proportion of them, and interactions are affected by a climate of distrust where stigmatisation processes can emerge between users of different drug categories. This casts a certain amount of doubt on the thesis that marketplace forums – like online forums – are new forms of harm reduction and peer-led communities. Research limitations/implications The study f...
Drinking stories are a narrative genre that revolves around drinking and its functions. While dri... more Drinking stories are a narrative genre that revolves around drinking and its functions. While drinking stories commonly refer to large amounts of alcohol, young people, transgressive meanings, and interactional goals, the article focuses on the practice of fine drinking, a type of drinking that is characterised by quality, service, and atmosphere. The present article scrutinises the content of adults' drinking stories when there is no intoxication involved by analysing interviews with Italian participants who come from different sectors of alcohol production, distribution, and consumption. In this contribution, fine drinking stories are regarded as a subgenre of drinking stories because of some specificities that seem to characterise them. The analysis results in six main themes that show a cultural imperative in playing a central part of Italian enogastronomic tradition and in protecting people from heavy episodic drinking.
Background: Cooper’s (1994) Drinking Motives Questionnaire-Revised (DMQ-R) is frequently used to ... more Background: Cooper’s (1994) Drinking Motives Questionnaire-Revised (DMQ-R) is frequently used to measure reasons for engaging in alcohol consumption. However, there is a need to check if results from the model are consistent across countries. The aim of this study was to use confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to assess the validity of the DMQ-R in different countries. Method: N = 2057 (Female = 1456; Male = 596) completed the DMQ-R as part of an online survey of university students conducted in six European countries. Findings: CFA supports the proposed four-factor solution: enhancement, coping, social and conformity. However, in order to achieve a satisfactory model fit (CFI=.954; NFI=.946; PGFI=.706; RMSEA=.061; SMR=.060) we had to eliminate the item “Because you feel more self-confident and sure of yourself.” Eliminating this item guarantees the invariance of the model across countries. Descriptive analyses indicate that external factors—social and enhancement—have higher mean sc...
Drinking motives have been established as an important construct in the prediction of alcohol use... more Drinking motives have been established as an important construct in the prediction of alcohol use and drinking problems among younger adults, but there is little understanding about the drinking motivations of older adults. Although emerging evidence shows the importance of studying older adults' own reasoning for their alcohol consumption, measures that have been used to assess such reasons lack psychometric assessment. This study aims to validate the three-dimensional structure of the Drinking Motives Questionnaire (DMQ) in older adults and to investigate the relationships between drinking motives and alcohol use. A sample of community dwelling older adults (N = 370) completed self-report measures assessing drinking behavior and motives for drinking. Using confirmatory factor analysis, the results supported a three-factor model of drinking motives. Multi-group analysis of invariance showed support for configural and metric invariance, and partial support was met for scalar invariance. Social motivations for drinking were the most frequently endorsed, followed by enhancement, and coping motives. Males reported more frequent drinking for each of the three motives. Social motives were consistently related to drinking behaviors and coping had a direct relationship to drinking problems. Overall, the study shows the DMQ has promise as a measure for use with older adults.
This project contributes to understanding of the role of different stakeholder groups in the form... more This project contributes to understanding of the role of different stakeholder groups in the formulation and implementation of policy in the addictions field in Austria, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Poland and the UK. It comprises a number of case studies which draw on a range of theoretical frameworks to examine stakeholder dynamics at international, national and local levels. Mainly qualitative methods were used: interviews, policy and documentation analyses, webcrawler network analysis, and simple surveys; one case study was based on a survey only. The case studies fall into four main categories: three focus on controversial issues in drug treatment policy and practice – opioid substitution treatment, drug consumption rooms, and heroin assisted treatment; three look at stakeholder activity in alcohol control and public health; one pilot case study considers the potential role of researchers in the development of a scientific network around gambling; and one looks at the role of nurse...
The complexity and importance of underage drinking prompted ERAB and ABMRF to initiate a state of... more The complexity and importance of underage drinking prompted ERAB and ABMRF to initiate a state of the art review. It explores the extent of underage drinking across Europe and North America, as well as our current understanding of factors that increase the risk of this behaviour and potentially effective evidence-based approaches to prevent underage drinking. Unfortunately, the problem is complex and a single solution or policy to prevent underage drinking does not exist. Nevertheless, a number of strategies are effective in some circumstances and warrant further study in different populations. Preventing risky drinking requires understanding of the important influence of family and peers. It is also important to recognize that some genetic traits like impulsivity, anxiety, sensation seeking and emotional dysregulation can also influence harmful drinking. These aspects (family and peers and genetic influence) are affected by cultural and environmental influences which, in turn, can ...
This chapter attempts to draw recommendations based on evidence presented in Chapters 1 – 3 on un... more This chapter attempts to draw recommendations based on evidence presented in Chapters 1 – 3 on underage drinking in European countries, the U.S., and Canada. As stated in previous chapters, underage drinking means different things in different cultures so this review has focused on research covering the second decade of life, which includes mostly studies on adolescent drinking, especially middle and high school students, as well as some relevant studies on college student drinking. The liter..
This chapter presents epidemiological data on underage drinking in European countries, the United... more This chapter presents epidemiological data on underage drinking in European countries, the United States (U.S.), and Canada with an emphasis on ages 11-16 years. It is not meant to be a comprehensive report of all the existing epidemiological data. Rather, we provide a summary of key findings regarding drinking patterns from a few major European and North American reports. First, we summarize data from students in two European surveys. Next we present data collected in one annual, national su..
To date, studies of peer-led online harm reduction communities have focused on web forums, arguin... more To date, studies of peer-led online harm reduction communities have focused on web forums, arguing that online spaces are strategic settings for both obtaining up to date information on substances and patterns of drug use and implementing new forms of outreach on the web. The present study analyzes the content and dynamics of a spontaneous users’ group on Telegram, where a team of peer workers was invited to intervene. The study’s aim was to learn more about people who use drugs’ communities on chat apps and provide insights to professionals wishing to implement harm reduction interventions in this type of environment. After obtaining the chat administrator’s permission, all content posted on the chat from March 1 to May 31, 2020, was analyzed adopting an abductive approach. It was found that peer-led communities based on a chat app are not very different from earlier web forum communities. The findings also show that the chat’s activity does not run counter to the public health per...
International Journal of Alcohol and Drug Research
From comparisons of World Health Organization statistics, it is clear that people in lower-income... more From comparisons of World Health Organization statistics, it is clear that people in lower-income countries experience more harms per litre of alcohol and different types of harms compared to those from higher-income countries. Yet studies in higher-income countries dominate research on policies to prevent alcohol problems. The paper reports on results of collaborative work to map priority areas for research relevant to low- and middle-income countries. Research focus areas were identified and discussed among potential coauthors from diverse fields with relevant knowledge, with agreement reached on an initial list of seven research priority areas. Areas identified include: (1) the effects of choices (e.g., national vs. local, monopoly vs. licensing system) in organising the alcohol market; (2) involvement/separation of alcohol industry interests in decisions on public health regulation; (3) options and effectiveness of global agreements on alcohol governance; (4) choices and exper...
This research project is aimed at identifying risk and protective factors of social withdrawal, b... more This research project is aimed at identifying risk and protective factors of social withdrawal, by studying some areas of young people's psychological wellbeing. The study took place in a medium-sized town in the north-west of Italy. A total of 1,102 students participated in the study. An online survey was sent to all the students attending the second year of local high schools, then the results were combined with those from two focus groups involving young people and adults. The findings indicate that socio-cultural factors may be the reasons why social disengagement is so widespread. The societal pressure to be successful in every life domain may push young people, unable to conform, out of the competition. Bullying, negative school experiences and stress are associated with an over-investment of time on the internet, a harbinger of social isolation. This study's findings suggest the need to plan student initiatives, to identify the warning signals of the phenomenon.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse dynamics amongst members to better understand in ... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse dynamics amongst members to better understand in what terms and to what extent marketplace forums can be seen as new forms of harm reduction. Design/methodology/approach This is a qualitative analysis focused on conversations about psychoactive substances on the forum community of AlphaBay Market. A sample consists of 100 online threads. The data, collected in July 2016, were analysed by applying the grounded theory approach with the support of Atlas.ti. Findings Conversations in the marketplace forum focus mostly on the purchase. Concerns and disputes are voiced in a significant proportion of them, and interactions are affected by a climate of distrust where stigmatisation processes can emerge between users of different drug categories. This casts a certain amount of doubt on the thesis that marketplace forums – like online forums – are new forms of harm reduction and peer-led communities. Research limitations/implications The study f...
Drinking stories are a narrative genre that revolves around drinking and its functions. While dri... more Drinking stories are a narrative genre that revolves around drinking and its functions. While drinking stories commonly refer to large amounts of alcohol, young people, transgressive meanings, and interactional goals, the article focuses on the practice of fine drinking, a type of drinking that is characterised by quality, service, and atmosphere. The present article scrutinises the content of adults' drinking stories when there is no intoxication involved by analysing interviews with Italian participants who come from different sectors of alcohol production, distribution, and consumption. In this contribution, fine drinking stories are regarded as a subgenre of drinking stories because of some specificities that seem to characterise them. The analysis results in six main themes that show a cultural imperative in playing a central part of Italian enogastronomic tradition and in protecting people from heavy episodic drinking.
Background: Cooper’s (1994) Drinking Motives Questionnaire-Revised (DMQ-R) is frequently used to ... more Background: Cooper’s (1994) Drinking Motives Questionnaire-Revised (DMQ-R) is frequently used to measure reasons for engaging in alcohol consumption. However, there is a need to check if results from the model are consistent across countries. The aim of this study was to use confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to assess the validity of the DMQ-R in different countries. Method: N = 2057 (Female = 1456; Male = 596) completed the DMQ-R as part of an online survey of university students conducted in six European countries. Findings: CFA supports the proposed four-factor solution: enhancement, coping, social and conformity. However, in order to achieve a satisfactory model fit (CFI=.954; NFI=.946; PGFI=.706; RMSEA=.061; SMR=.060) we had to eliminate the item “Because you feel more self-confident and sure of yourself.” Eliminating this item guarantees the invariance of the model across countries. Descriptive analyses indicate that external factors—social and enhancement—have higher mean sc...
Drinking motives have been established as an important construct in the prediction of alcohol use... more Drinking motives have been established as an important construct in the prediction of alcohol use and drinking problems among younger adults, but there is little understanding about the drinking motivations of older adults. Although emerging evidence shows the importance of studying older adults' own reasoning for their alcohol consumption, measures that have been used to assess such reasons lack psychometric assessment. This study aims to validate the three-dimensional structure of the Drinking Motives Questionnaire (DMQ) in older adults and to investigate the relationships between drinking motives and alcohol use. A sample of community dwelling older adults (N = 370) completed self-report measures assessing drinking behavior and motives for drinking. Using confirmatory factor analysis, the results supported a three-factor model of drinking motives. Multi-group analysis of invariance showed support for configural and metric invariance, and partial support was met for scalar invariance. Social motivations for drinking were the most frequently endorsed, followed by enhancement, and coping motives. Males reported more frequent drinking for each of the three motives. Social motives were consistently related to drinking behaviors and coping had a direct relationship to drinking problems. Overall, the study shows the DMQ has promise as a measure for use with older adults.
This project contributes to understanding of the role of different stakeholder groups in the form... more This project contributes to understanding of the role of different stakeholder groups in the formulation and implementation of policy in the addictions field in Austria, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Poland and the UK. It comprises a number of case studies which draw on a range of theoretical frameworks to examine stakeholder dynamics at international, national and local levels. Mainly qualitative methods were used: interviews, policy and documentation analyses, webcrawler network analysis, and simple surveys; one case study was based on a survey only. The case studies fall into four main categories: three focus on controversial issues in drug treatment policy and practice – opioid substitution treatment, drug consumption rooms, and heroin assisted treatment; three look at stakeholder activity in alcohol control and public health; one pilot case study considers the potential role of researchers in the development of a scientific network around gambling; and one looks at the role of nurse...
The complexity and importance of underage drinking prompted ERAB and ABMRF to initiate a state of... more The complexity and importance of underage drinking prompted ERAB and ABMRF to initiate a state of the art review. It explores the extent of underage drinking across Europe and North America, as well as our current understanding of factors that increase the risk of this behaviour and potentially effective evidence-based approaches to prevent underage drinking. Unfortunately, the problem is complex and a single solution or policy to prevent underage drinking does not exist. Nevertheless, a number of strategies are effective in some circumstances and warrant further study in different populations. Preventing risky drinking requires understanding of the important influence of family and peers. It is also important to recognize that some genetic traits like impulsivity, anxiety, sensation seeking and emotional dysregulation can also influence harmful drinking. These aspects (family and peers and genetic influence) are affected by cultural and environmental influences which, in turn, can ...
This chapter attempts to draw recommendations based on evidence presented in Chapters 1 – 3 on un... more This chapter attempts to draw recommendations based on evidence presented in Chapters 1 – 3 on underage drinking in European countries, the U.S., and Canada. As stated in previous chapters, underage drinking means different things in different cultures so this review has focused on research covering the second decade of life, which includes mostly studies on adolescent drinking, especially middle and high school students, as well as some relevant studies on college student drinking. The liter..
This chapter presents epidemiological data on underage drinking in European countries, the United... more This chapter presents epidemiological data on underage drinking in European countries, the United States (U.S.), and Canada with an emphasis on ages 11-16 years. It is not meant to be a comprehensive report of all the existing epidemiological data. Rather, we provide a summary of key findings regarding drinking patterns from a few major European and North American reports. First, we summarize data from students in two European surveys. Next we present data collected in one annual, national su..
1Rolando S.., Beccaria F., Duke K. (2021) Trajectories of drug involvement among young people in ... more 1Rolando S.., Beccaria F., Duke K. (2021) Trajectories of drug involvement among young people in contact with criminal justice systems in six European countries. In Chatwin C., Potter G.R., Werse B.(Eds.) Who? Variation and distinction in the European drugs landscape, Lengerich: Pabst Science Publishers, pp. 127-144
Petrilli E., Cacciamani A., Beccaria F. (2021) 'You become nothing' - Adolescents' social represe... more Petrilli E., Cacciamani A., Beccaria F. (2021) 'You become nothing' - Adolescents' social representations of drug users as a litmus test of Italian anti-drug alarmism. In Chatwin C., Potter G.R., Werse B.(Eds.) Who? Variation and distinction in the European drugs landscape, Lengerich: Pabst Science Publishers, pp. 73-88.
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