School prevention programs for problematic Internet use, problematic gambling and video game addiction in Spain: A systematic review.

Abstract

The present work aims to identify the school prevention programs for problematic Internet use, problematic gambling and video game addiction existing in Spain, reporting on their characteristics and effectiveness, establishing different degrees of recommendation. A systematic review was carried out with two complementary strategies: a) a search in the Xchange, Good Practices in Addictions (PPBB), Evidence-Based Prevention and EDDRA portals; b) a search of Web of Science, PudMed/MEDLINE, APA PsycInfo, Scopus or Cochrane Library. The search included the keywords "Spain", "gambling", "videogames", "Internet", "social network", "school prevention" and synonyms. Six programs were identified, of which five had empirical studies to evaluate their effectiveness. All were based on theoretical models related to the etiology of the problem, used an active and interactive methodology and were implemented by professionals with specific training. The programs ¿Qué te juegas?, Ludens and Safety.net achieved a higher degree of recommendation. For the Cubilete and PrevTec 3.1 programs, additional studies of its effectiveness are suggested. Regarding good practice portals, it is suggested that evidence be prioritized over accessibility and that the specific problem for which each program has been proven effective be clearly indicated. Based on these findings, we insist on the need to provide empirical evidence regarding any prevention strategy or program. Finally, some questions of interest are raised, such as the convenience of considering the prevention of these new problems jointly or separately.