Depression in university students: associations with impulse control disorders.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to assess the implications of depression in a sample of university students, particularly relating to impulse control disorders. While previous studies have shown high rates of depression among university students, no study to date has assessed whether levels of depression show associations with the incidence of impulse control disorders in this population.


METHODS
In all, 6000 students participated in the College Student Computer Use Survey. A total of 1717 students completed the scales of interest for this analysis. Participants were assigned to groups based on depression scores: severe (N = 75), mild/moderate (N = 647) and none (N = 995). The three groups were assessed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) or chi-square test. A multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to elucidate associations between depression and impulse control disorder diagnoses.


RESULTS
Groups differed across demographic, health and academic variables. The severe depression group reported higher rates of skin-picking disorder, compulsive sexual behaviour and compulsive buying.


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggest a significant association between depression and impulse control disorders. One possibility is that a facet of impulsivity contributes to both problems, which could be important information for clinicians. Future studies will need to clarify the exact nature of the relationship between depression and impulse control disorders.
a Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience , University of Chicago , Chicago , IL , USA ;
Eric W
EW
Leppink
b Boynton Health Services, University of Minnesota , Minneapolis , MN , USA.
Katherine
K
Lust
a Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience , University of Chicago , Chicago , IL , USA ;
Jon E
JE
Grant
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007174:Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
Depression; health; impulse control disorders; university students