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BACKGROUND: Loot boxes (LBs) are virtual objects that players open without knowing the value of the item they will obtain. Because of their features, studies have explored their association with gambling, finding commonalities. However, risk factors have been overlooked. This study examined risk factors associated with gambling as applied to LBs (gambling in the past year, having family/friends who use LBs/gamble, trait impulsivity, and sensation-seeking). METHOD: 253 participants (82.2% men) with a mean age of 28 years ( SD = 12.11)­in three groups: gamblers ( n = 89), LB purchasers ( n = 63), and free-LB openers ( n = 101)­completed a self-report. RESULTS: Having family/friends who used LBs was related to increased engagement in opening LBs at no cost. However, having gambled in the past year or having family/friends who used LBs or who gambled was not associated with increased purchasing. Gamblers, LB purchasers, and LB openers scored equally highly on impulsivity and sensation-seeking. Because some gamblers used LBs, and LB purchasers also opened free-LBs, further analyses were performed to control for the effects of overlapping groups. Loot boxers had higher scores in sensation-seeking than gamblers. CONCLUSIONS: The results can contribute to the development of prevention and intervention strategies for LB users.

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INTRODUCTION: Sex work is a common phenomenon, but socially invisible and stigmatized. Due to exposure to work-related risks, sex workers (SWs) are vulnerable to developing health problems. However, little attention has been paid to their mental health. The purpose of this systematic review was to synthesize the existing literature on mental health and to explore risk factors related to psychopathology in sex workers. METHODS: A systematic review (CRD42021268990) was conducted on the Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and PsycInfo for peer reviewer papers published between 2010 and 2022. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to examine the quality of the studies. Of the 527 studies identified, 30 met the inclusion criteria. RESULTS: Mental health problems were prevalent among sex workers. Depression was the most common mental health problem; however, other psychological problems were also high, including anxiety, substance abuse, and suicidal ideation. Sex workers are exposed to numerous work-related risks, including violence and high-risk sexual behaviors. Despite the high prevalence of mental health problems, SWs often encounter significant barriers to accessing healthcare services. CONCLUSION: These results suggest the need to focus on preventive measures to promote psychological well-being among sex workers.

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Background: Loot boxes (LBs) are virtual objects that players open without knowing the value of the item they will obtain. Because of their features, studies have explored their association with gambling, finding commonalities. However, risk factors have been overlooked. This study examined risk factors associated with gambling as applied to LBs (gambling in the past year, having family/friends who use LBs/gamble, trait impulsivity, and sensation-seeking). Method: 253 participants (82.2% men) with a mean age of 28 years (SD = 12.11)—in three groups: gamblers (n = 89), LB purchasers (n = 63), and free-LB openers (n = 101)—completed a self-report. Results: Having family/friends who used LBs was related to increased engagement in opening LBs at no cost. However, having gambled in the past year or having family/friends who used LBs or who gambled was not associated with increased purchasing. Gamblers, LB purchasers, and LB openers scored equally highly on impulsivity and sensation-seeking. Because some gamblers used LBs, and LB purchasers also opened free-LBs, further analyses were performed to control for the effects of overlapping groups. Loot boxers had higher scores in sensation-seeking than gamblers. Conclusions: The results can contribute to the development of prevention and intervention strategies for LB users.(AU)

Antecedentes: Las loot boxes (LBs) son objetos virtuales que se abren desconociendo el valor del artículo que contienen. Aunque se han relacionado con el juego de azar, sus factores de riesgo apenas han sido explorados. Este estudio examina los factores de riesgo del juego de azar en LBs (jugar a juegos de azar, tener familiares/amigos que usan LBs/juegan a juegos de azar, impulsividad-rasgo y búsqueda de sensaciones). Método: 253 participantes (M = 28, DT = 12.11, 82.2% hombres), distribuidos en tres grupos: jugadores de azar (n = 89), compradores de LBs (n = 63) y abridores de LBs gratuitas (n = 101), completaron un autoinforme. Resultados: Tener familiares/amigos que usaban LBs se relacionaba con la apertura gratuita, pero jugar a juegos de azar o tener familiares/amigos que usaban LBs/jugaron a juegos de azar no se relacionaba con la compra. Los tres grupos puntuaron igual en impulsividad y búsqueda de sensaciones. Tras controlar el solapamiento (algunos jugadores de azar usaban LBs, y los compradores de LBs abrían LBs gratuitas), los loot boxers puntuaron más alto en búsqueda de sensaciones que los jugadores de azar. Conclusiones: Conocer las comunalidades entre LBs y juegos de azar puede contribuir a su prevención e intervención.(AU)

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Over the past decades, a growing interest has emerged toward understanding the impact that the exposure to human suffering produces in mental health professionals, leading to the identification of three constructs: vicarious traumatization (VT), compassion fatigue (CF), and secondary trauma (ST). However, little is known about how these conditions affect psychologists. A systematic review and a meta-analysis were conducted to examine the evidence about the effects of occupational exposure to trauma and suffering in studies that included psychologists among their samples. Fifty-two studies were included comprising 10,233 participants. Overall, the results showed that most professionals did not experience relevant distress due to their work, yet some of them developed clinically significant symptoms (i.e., PTSD). However, solid conclusions could not be drawn due to the numerous methodological difficulties found in this research field (i.e., group heterogeneity, lack of comparison groups, and conceptual overlap). Thus, it is necessary to further investigate this topic with scientific rigor to understand these stressors and develop evidence-based interventions.

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