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The aim of the study is to present the main characteristics of juvenile delinquency from Romania before and after 1989 in order to emphasize and clarify the relevance and the role of psycho-social factors in the evaluation and prevention of vulnerability exhibited or implied by delinquent behaviors. For this purpose, we relayed on the existing studies and researches concerning juvenile delinquency in the communist and post-communist regime, and also conducted our own investigation through questionnaires, document analysis and interviews on a population of 420 juvenile delinquents and 420 persons in control group. The first batch of studies was taking into account internal (within) and external (without) pressures and influences present in the life of the juvenile delinquent but it did not state a clear case regarding the pre-eminence of one influence over another. Our inquiry tried to sift through them and assess their importance in triggering delinquent behaviour in youth.The general conclusion of the study is that the range and impact of social and educational factors upon the phenomenon of juvenile delinquency are higher and stronger than any other factor.

IntroductionFear of cancer progression (FoP) is one of the most frequently reported unmet needs invoked by the majority of cancer patients, which may significantly impair the quality of life (QoL) of patients. The major objective of the present cross-sectional study was to investigate the specificities of the relationship between different dimensions and intensity of FoP and different aspects of patients’ QoL during the COVID-19 pandemic in Romania.MethodsA nationwide sample of 330 participants completed a survey, including measures of demographic characteristics, medical variables, QoL, and FoP. Multivariate General Linear and Hierarchical Regression Models were conducted in order to assess the relationship between variables.ResultOur results indicate that less than a quarter of the sample experienced low, between 63 and 70% moderate, and 15% high levels of FoP. Our results also indicate that anxiety/worry related to the possibility of progression of the disease, and loss of independence produced significant differences with large effect sizes in all the dimensions of QoL.DiscussionOur results indicate that besides affective reactions, the fear of cancer survivors to lose independence, not being able to attend to their own lives, seems to be a considerable threat, especially in the context of Romanian health system which has difficulties in offering qualitative psychosocial care for cancer patients. The idea that patients will have to rely on others and may not function well independently, not being able to attend to their own lives, seems to be a considerable threat, next to the experienced affective reactions per se.

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