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.