Validation of the inventory: lockdown and its impact on the university Community.

BACKGROUND: Significant consequences of COVID-19 within academic/professional life are, at the psychological level, related to worry, tension, stress; coping strategies and lifestyle changes. This study describes the process of design and validation of an inventory (QPIC), which aims to assess the psychological impact that a situation of confinement can produce among university students and teachers. METHODS: Design of the instrument and psychometric tests. A sample of 862 students and 229 professors affiliated to Spanish and Colombian universities was used. Data were collected in April 2020 with the request of the favourable Bioethics Committee IR/2020. RESULTS: Six experts carried out the content validation. A confirmatory factor analysis of the theoretical dimensions proposed for the scales was performed and the internal consistency of each of the three initial scales was confirmed (0.866, 0.813 and 0.834). CONCLUSION: A rigorous and reliable instrument is achieved, consisting of two final scales: (a) Worry, tension and stress scale (b) Coping scale, which helps to measure individual psychological effects in housebound situations. It is an instrument designed, constructed ad hoc to assess the impact of confinement and subjected to validation. The factor structure and reliability of the instrument are examined and good psychometric properties are obtained. The application of this inventory will make it possible to assess the impact on people's mental health during a period of confinement.

Sociodemographic Variables and Body Mass Index Associated with the Risk of Eating Disorders in Spanish University Students.

BACKGROUND: The passage through university is a complex experience that can heighten personal susceptibility to eating disorders. The objective of this research is to determine how gender, age, course, educational faculty, and body mass index (BMI) can influence the risk of eating disorders among university students. METHOD: A transversal and descriptive study is conducted with a sample of 516 Spanish students (57.2% female, 42.8% male; Mage = 21.7, SDage = 4.1) following 26 university degrees. The Inventory Eating Disorder-Reference criterion (EDI-3-RF) was administered to the students. Contingency tables were used between categorical variables with the chi-squared statistic, at a significance level of p < 0.05. The Student t-test was used for two independent samples and a one-way ANOVA test with the post hoc Bonferroni test for more than two groups. Pearson's correlation and a simple linear regression analysis were used to analyze the relationship between the variables in its quantitative version. RESULTS: It was found that the female students enrolled in the second year presented a greater obsession with thinness and body dissatisfaction (p = 0.029; d = 0.338); the male students practiced more physical exercise to control their weight (p = 0.003); and that students under the age of twenty (p < 0.010; d = 0.584) and students from both the Health (p = 0.0.13) and Law (p = 0.021) educational faculties showed greater bulimic behavior (d = 0.070). More females are underweight (z = 2.8), and more men are overweight (z = 2.4). Normal-weight students scored significantly higher in thinness obsession (p = 0.033). Overweight students scored significantly higher on thinness obsession (p < 0.001) and body dissatisfaction (p < 0.001). Obese students scored significantly higher on body dissatisfaction (p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: The data obtained in this study, reinforce the hypothesis that the female gender, at an age within the limits of early adolescence, in the first year of the degree courses, with specific university qualifications, and a high BMI constituted factors that could provoke an eating disorder. Consequently, it is necessary to implement preventive measures adapted to the circumstances of each university student.

Ansiedad e insatisfacción corporal en universitarios / Ansiedade e insatisfação corporal em universitários / Anxiety and body dissatisfaction in university students

Resumen La ansiedad y la insatisfacción corporal son factores de riesgo para los trastornos de conducta alimentaria y de la ingesta de alimentos. La presente investigación busca analizar los niveles de ansiedad e insatisfacción corporal, y su relación con las diferencias en función del género, curso y centro de estudios en 516 universitarios de Burgos, España -el 42.8 % fueron varones y el 57.2 %, mujeres; M = 21.7 años (DT = 4.1)-, utilizando un muestreo aleatorio estratificado. Para ello, se realizó un estudio descriptivo transversal en el que se aplicó el Cuestionario de Ansiedad Estado-Rasgo y la subescala Insatisfacción Corporal del Inventario de Trastornos de Conducta Alimentaria. Como resultados, alrededor del 20 % de los participantes presentó niveles altos de ansiedad, aunque no se encontraron diferencias por género, curso o centro; adicionalmente, el 61.4 % presentó alta o moderada insatisfacción corporal, principalmente si eran mujeres, personas ansiosas, o de segundo curso en la universidad. También se encontró interrelación entre estos factores, por lo cual en algunos universitarios se pudo identificar determinado riesgo para la aparición de trastornos de la conducta alimentaria y de la ingesta de alimentos.

Resumo A ansiedade e a insatisfação corporal são fatores de risco dos transtornos de comportamento alimentar e da ingestão de alimentos. Esta pesquisa procura analisar os níveis de ansiedade e de insatisfação corporal, bem como sua relação com as diferenças em função do gênero, do curso e do centro de estudos em 516 universitários de Burgos, Espanha - 42.8 % homens e 57.2 %, mulheres; M = 21.7 anos (DP = 4.1) -, utilizando uma amostra aleatória estratificada. Para isso, foi realizado um estudo descritivo transversal, no qual foi aplicado o Inventário de Ansiedade Traço-Estado e a subescala Insatisfação Corporal do Inventário de Transtornos de Comportamento Alimentar. Como resultados, ao redor de 20 % dos participantes apresentaram níveis altos de ansiedade, embora não se tenham encontrado diferenças por gênero, curso ou centro de estudos; além disso, 61.4 % apresentaram alta ou moderada insatisfação corporal, principalmente mulheres, pessoas ansiosas ou de segundo curso na universidade. Também foi encontrada inter-relação entre esses fatores, razão pela qual, em alguns universitários, pôde ser verificado determinado risco para o surgimento de transtorno de comportamento alimentar e da ingestão de alimentos.

Abstract Anxiety and body dissatisfaction are risk factors for eating behavior disorders (ACT). This research analyzes the levels of anxiety and body dissatisfaction, the relationship between these variables, and the differences according to gender, course and center in 516 university students of Burgos (Spain), using a stratified random sampling. 42.8 % were males and 57.2 % females, M = 21.7 years (SD = 4.1). Was carried descriptive study a cross-sectional. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the subscale Body Dissatisfaction of the Eating Disorders Inventory are applied. About 20 % of participants have high levels of anxiety, not finding differences by gender, course and center. 61.4 % present high and median body dissatisfaction, mainly women, the more anxious and those of 2nd. In addition, there is an interrelation between factors. Therefore, in some students there are conditioning factors that are risk factors for the appearance of eating behavior disorders.

Factores de riesgo de trastornos de la conducta alimentaria entre universitarios: Estimación de vulnerabilidad por sexo y edad / Risk factors of eating disorders in university students: Estimation of vulnerability by sex and age

Resumen Los trastornos de la conducta alimentaria (TCA) constituyen un problema de salud pública que ha venido incrementando. El objetivo de este estudio fue estimar la vulnerabilidad de los estudiantes universitarios a presentar un TCA. Se trabajó con una muestra probabilística de 561 estudiantes (M edad = 21.7; DE =4.1), 42.8% varones y 57.2% mujeres. Los datos fueron recabados con base al Inventario de Trastornos de la Conducta Alimentaria-Criterio de Remisión (EDI-3-RF), además de registrar algunos indicadores antropométricos. Destacan los siguientes resultados: las mujeres presentaron mayor obsesión por la delgadez e insatisfacción corporal que los varones; las conductas bulímicas estuvieron más presentes en estudiantes menores de 20 años; los varones recurren en mayor medida al ejercicio físico como forma de control del peso; 7.7% presentaron bajo peso y preocupación excesiva por la comida y el peso, condición que amerita remisión a atención especializada. Resulta apremiante reforzar los esfuerzos encaminados a la implementación de estrategias de prevención e intervención dirigidas específicamente a los estudiantes universitarios, a través del diseño de programas destinados a promover hábitos de alimentación saludables, mejorar la percepción de la imagen corporal y disminuir la preocupación obsesiva por la delgadez.

Abstract Eating disorders (ED) are a public health problem which it has been increasing. The aim of this study was to estimate the vulnerability of university students to an ED. We worked with a probabilistic sample of 561 students (M age = 21.7; SD = 4.1), 42.8% men and 57.2% women. They completed the Inventory Eating Disorder-Reference criterion (EDI-3-RF), also we took anthropometric measures. The results show that: women have a significantly more obsession with thinness and body dissatisfaction; the students under 20years old showed significant more bulimic behaviors; men prefer to do physical exercise as a way to control their weight; about 7.7% should be referred to a specialized center for having low weight along with excessive concern about food and weight. It is concluded that it is necessary to implement preventive programs and intervention measures aimed towards to the university students who promote healthy eating habits, improve the perception of their body image and diminish the obsessive preoccupation with thinness.