Prevalence and correlates of hoarding behaviors among college students in China

  Objective  To explore the prevalence and influencing factors of hoarding behaviors among college students in China.

  Methods  Using stratified cluster sampling, we recruited 2 300 students in three universities and one college in two provinces of China and conducted a survey with a self-designed questionnaire on hoarding behavior based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) during May – June 2018.

  Results  Of the 2 204 students completing the survey, 32.17% were assessed with hoarding behavior and the ratio of hoarding behavior was significantly higher among the male students than among the female students (38.17% vs. 20.47%, χ² = 23.215; P < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed following 8 influencing factors for hoarding behavior among the students: gender (female vs. male: odds ratio OR = 0.701, P < 0.001), higher monthly living expenses (> 1 500 vs. < 1 000 yuan RMB: OR = 1.412, P = 0.019), with lower subjective well-being (OR = 1.391, P = 0.027), having the preference for comparison with others (OR = 1.465, P = 0.003), being economical in daily life (OR = 1.329, P = 0.006), nostalgia (OR = 1.497, P = 0.001), lack of social support (OR = 1.465, P = 0.011), and spiritual emptiness (OR = 1.287, P = 0.019).

  Conclusion   Hoarding behaviors exist and are influenced by multiple factors among college students in China, suggesting that health education on the mental disorder should be promoted in the students.