Internet Gaming Disorder and the Incidence of Suicide-Related Ideation and Behaviors in College Students.

OBJECTIVES: The longitudinal associations between DSM-5 Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and suicide-related ideation and behaviors have not been explored. In this study, we therefore seek to examine the association between baseline IGD and incident suicide ideation, plans, and attempts. METHODS: This is a prospective cohort study of 2586 Mexican college students followed up from September 2018 to June 2022. We estimated hazards ratios modeling incidence of suicide ideation, plans, and attempts by fitting proportional hazards Cox models with person-time scaled in years. RESULTS: Among 2140 students without suicide ideation at baseline, there were 467 incident cases in 3987.6 person-years; ideation incidence rates were 179 cases per 1000 person-years among students with IGD and 114 cases per 1000 person-years among those without IGD. Incidence rates for suicide plans were 67 and 39 per 1000 among IGD and non-IGD students, and 15 and 10 per 1000, respectively for attempts. After controlling for age, sex, and mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders, IGD was associated with an 83% increased risk of suicide ideation. Although incidence rate estimates for plans and attempts were higher among students with IGD, results were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: This study helps to raise awareness of the increased risk of at least suicidal ideation in people experiencing IGD. Clinicians treating patients with IGD may encounter complaints of suicide ideation over time, and even reports of suicidal behavior that should not be disregarded. Identifying these patients and treating/referring them for underlying suicidality should form part of IGD treatment.

Depression, suicide ideation, and irrational beliefs: Explanatory models in psychology students / Depresión, ideación suicida y creencias irracionales: modelos explicativos en estudiantes de psicología

Abstract Introduction In rational emotive behavioral therapy, irrational beliefs are significant in mental health since their presence leads to conditions such as depression and suicidal ideation. Since these conditions have been increasing worldwide, it is essential to explore the factors that contribute to their understanding. Objective To design explanatory models for depression and suicidal ideation based on irrational beliefs in psychology students. Method Quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional study with multivariate analysis. Results Two explanatory models were designed: one for depression and the other for suicidal ideation. Thirty-nine per cent of depressive symptomatology can be explained by the presence of irrational beliefs concerning perfectionism, avoidance of responsibilities, concern over the future, and the determinism of the past. At the same time, 54% of suicidal ideation can be explained by the presence of beliefs centering on perfectionism, avoidance of responsibilities, external locus of control, and the determinism of the past. Discussion and conclusion Depression and suicidal ideation in psychology students can partly be explained by irrational beliefs concerning perfectionism, external locus of control, concern over the future, avoidance of responsibilities, and the determinism of the past. Clinical care approaches can modify these beliefs to reduce symptoms and promote mental health.

Resumen Introducción Para la terapia racional emotiva conductual las creencias irracionales tienen un gran peso en la salud mental, ya que la presencia de estas genera padecimientos como depresión e ideación suicida. Se sabe que en el mundo estos padecimientos han ido en aumento, por ello, es importante explorar factores que faciliten su explicación. Objetivo Generar modelos explicativos para la depresión y la ideación suicida desde las creencias irracionales en estudiantes de psicología. Método Estudio cuantitativo, no experimental, transversal con análisis multivariado. Resultados Se realizaron modelos explicativos; uno para la depresión y otro para ideación suicida. La sintomatología depresiva se explica en 39% con la presencia de creencias irracionales de perfeccionismo, evitación de responsabilidades, preocupación por el futuro y determinismo del pasado. Por otro lado, la ideación suicida se explica en 54% con la presencia de las creencias de perfeccionismo, evitación de responsabilidades, locus de control externo y determinismo del pasado. Discusión y conclusión La depresión e ideación suicida en estudiantes de psicología se puede explicar en parte por creencias irracionales de perfeccionismo, locus de control externo, preocupación por el futuro, evitación de responsabilidades y determinismo del pasado. A través de enfoques de atención clínica es factible modificar dichas creencias con el objetivo de disminuir sintomatología y promover la salud mental.

One-year incidence, predictors, and accuracy of prediction of suicidal thoughts and behaviors from the first to second year of university.

BACKGROUND: Research is scarce on the prospective predictors of first onset suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB) and the accuracy of these predictors in university students, particularly in low-and-middle income countries. Therefore, we assessed the 1-year incidence of STB among first-year students, a broad range of prospective predictors of STB incidence, and evaluated the prediction accuracy of a baseline multivariate risk prediction model to identify students at highest risk for STB onset over the subsequent 12 months. METHODS: Students (n = 3238) from 13 universities in Mexico completed an online survey developed for the World Mental Health International College Student Surveys in their first year and again 12 months after. We ran generalized linear models and receiver operator curves. RESULTS: The 1-year incidence of suicidal ideation, plan and attempt was 8.53%, 3.75%, and 1.16%, respectively. Predictors in final models were female sex (ideation only), minority sexual orientation (ideation only), depression, eating disorders, ADHD (ideation and plan), ongoing arguments or breakup with a romantic partner (ideation only), emotional abuse (ideation only), parental death (ideation, plan), not Catholic/Christian (ideation, plan), not having someone to rely on, psychotic experiences (plan only), and insufficient sleep (attempt only). Prediction accuracy for ideation, plan and attempt was area under the curve = 0.76, 0.81 and 0.78, respectively. Targeting the top 10% of students at highest risk could reduce STB in the subsequent year up to 36%. CONCLUSIONS: By assessing these risk/protective factors in incoming students we identified students at greatest risk for developing STB to whom suicide prevention strategies could be targeted.

Ansiedad, desesperanza y afrontamiento ante el COVID-19 en usuarios de atención psicológica

Objetivo. Identificar los niveles de síntomas de ansiedad y desesperanza, así como, las estrategias de afrontamiento durante la pandemia de COVID-19 en usuarios de servicios de atención psicológica en línea. Método. Se utilizó un diseño de tipo transversal predictivo, con una muestra de 78 personas voluntarias. Se aplicó la Escala de estrategias de afrontamiento frente a riesgos extremos, Inventario de Ansiedad de Beck (BAI) y la Escala de Desesperanza de Beck (BHS). Resultados. Al existir un alto nivel de ansiedad en las personas participantes, se tiende a manifestar mayor nivel de indefensión y de conductas de afrontamiento orientadas hacia la evitación y de naturaleza pasiva.

Objective. The main goal was to identify the levels of symptoms of anxiety and hopelessness, as well as the coping strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic in users of online psychological care services. Method. A predictive cross-sectional design was used, with a sample of 78 volunteers. The scale of coping strategies in the face of extreme risks, the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) were applied. Results. The results indicated that since there is an elevated level of anxiety in the participants, they tend to manifest a higher level of helplessness and coping behaviors oriented towards avoidance and passive nature.

Treatment Delivery Preferences Associated With Type of Mental Disorder and Perceived Treatment Barriers Among Mexican University Students.

PURPOSE: Although Internet-based electronic health (eHealth) interventions could potentially reduce mental health disparities, especially in college students in under-resourced countries, little is known about the relative acceptability of eHealth versus in-person treatment modalities and the treatment barriers associated with a preference for one type over the other. METHODS: Participants were from the 2018-2019 cohort of the University Project for Healthy Students (PUERTAS), a Web-based survey of incoming first-year students in Mexico and part of the World Mental Health International College Student Survey initiative. A total of 7,849 first-year students, 54.73% female, from five Mexican universities participated. We estimated correlates of preference for eHealth delivery over in-person modalities with a multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Thirty-eight percent of students prefer in-person services, 36% showed no preference for in-person over eHealth, 19% prefer not to use services of any kind, and 7% preferred eHealth over in-person treatment delivery. Being embarrassed, worried about harm to one's academic career, wanting to handle problems on one's own, beliefs about treatment efficacy, having depression, and having attention-deficient hyperactivity disorder were associated with a clear preference for eHealth delivery methods with odds ratios ranging from 1.47 to 2.59. CONCLUSIONS: Although more students preferred in-person services over eHealth, those reporting attitudinal barriers (i.e., embarrassment, stigma, wanting to handle problems on one's own, and beliefs about treatment efficacy) and with depression or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder had a greater preference for eHealth interventions suggesting these are students to whom eHealth interventions could be targeted to alleviate symptoms and/or as a bridge to future in-person treatment.