Researchers have identified several factors that help predict suicidal ideation (SI) among college students. As scheduled for a poster session at the 2018 International Conference on Eating Disorders (ICED) in Chicago, Neha J. Goel from Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, and colleagues from 27 other universities across the US reported that depression, anxiety, and vomiting all were independent predictors of SI among the women. The study participants were 690 female college students from 28 universities across the U.S. who had screened positive for an eating disorder (with the exception of anorexia nervosa). The researchers evaluated ED pathology with the Eating Disorders Examination-Q Global questionnaire and subscales of disordered eating behaviors, including binge eating, vomiting, use of laxatives, compulsive exercise, and comorbid psychopathology (such as depression, anxiety, and insomnia). ED-related clinical impairment, weight and shape concerns, and body mass index were all independent predictors of SI. More than a fourth of the women reported having suicidal thoughts. The authors recommend that ED screening programs on college campuses assess students for SI, and advise that treatment should be aimed at targeting comorbid psychopathology and vomiting among this population at risk.
