Suicidal Behavior and Problematic Internet Use in College Students.

BACKGROUND: Suicidal behavior, especially in young populations such as university students, is currently one of the most concerning health problems worldwide, suicide being the second leading cause of death among students. Although literature is still scarce, one of the risk factors that correlates the most with suicidal behavior in young people appears to be problematic internet use (PIU). The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between PIU and suicidal behavior in a Spanish university population. METHOD: An ex post facto prospective design was used with a sample of 1,386 Spanish university students (68.7% women and 31.3% men). PIU was assessed by means of the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) and psychological problems by means of the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation-Outcome Measure (CORE-OM). RESULTS: The results confirm the relationship between PIU and suicidal behavior, principally alongside those of social isolation and depression, this risk being 3.78 times higher among women with PIU and 5.58 times higher in men. CONCLUSIONS: PIU appears as a risk factor for suicidal behavior that must be taken into account together with social isolation, subjective distress and depression.

Personality prototype as a risk factor for eating disorders.

OBJECTIVE: To establish whether the risk of suffering from an eating disorder (ED) is associated with the high-functioning, undercontrolled, or overcontrolled personality prototype groups. METHOD: The Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) and the Eating Disorder Inventory 2 (EDI-2) were administered to 69 patients diagnosed as suffering from EDs (cases) and 89 people free of any ED symptoms (control group). A cluster analysis was carried out to divide the participants into three groups based on their scores in the Big Five personality dimensions. A logistic regression model was then created. RESULTS: Participants in the undercontrolled group had a risk of suffering from an ED 6.517 times higher than those in the high-functioning group (p = 0.019; odds ratio [OR] = 6.517), while those in the overcontrolled subgroup had a risk of ED 15.972 times higher than those in the high-functioning group. CONCLUSIONS: Two personality subtypes were identified in which the risk of EDs was six times higher (the undercontrolled group) and almost 16 times higher (the overcontrolled group). Prevention and treatment programs for ED could benefit from focusing on the abovementioned personality profiles.

Personality prototype as a risk factor for eating disorders

Objective: To establish whether the risk of suffering from an eating disorder (ED) is associated with the high-functioning, undercontrolled, or overcontrolled personality prototype groups. Method: The Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) and the Eating Disorder Inventory 2 (EDI-2) were administered to 69 patients diagnosed as suffering from EDs (cases) and 89 people free of any ED symptoms (control group). A cluster analysis was carried out to divide the participants into three groups based on their scores in the Big Five personality dimensions. A logistic regression model was then created. Results: Participants in the undercontrolled group had a risk of suffering from an ED 6.517 times higher than those in the high-functioning group (p = 0.019; odds ratio [OR] = 6.517), while those in the overcontrolled subgroup had a risk of ED 15.972 times higher than those in the high-functioning group. Conclusions: Two personality subtypes were identified in which the risk of EDs was six times higher (the undercontrolled group) and almost 16 times higher (the overcontrolled group). Prevention and treatment programs for ED could benefit from focusing on the abovementioned personality profiles.