Emotional vulnerability associated with chemical and behavioral addiction among university students: an exploratory study using Latent Class Analysis

• Grant number: 24/13954-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2025
• End date: April 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology
• Principal Investigator: André Luiz Monezi Andrade
• Grantee: Fernando Ferreira Semolini
• Host Institution: Escola de Ciências da Vida (ECV). Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Campinas (PUC-CAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Several studies indicate that emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, and emotional problems are associated with both behaviors related to chemical addiction and behavioral addiction. Thus, such behaviors share similarities in their etiology, involving neurochemical and socioemotional mechanisms, particularly due to impulse disorders. However, few authors have explored these emotional characteristics together with addiction problems in an integrated way. In this context, emotional vulnerability (EV) can be seen as an integrative concept, as it is involved with intense and prolonged negative emotional responses in unfavorable situations, influenced by factors such as emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, anxiety, stress, and depression. Furthermore, analyzing these factors from a broader construct like EV can be valuable by allowing for a more comprehensive analysis of the interactions between these dimensions, filling a gap in addiction studies by connecting emotional and behavioral aspects in a more integrated and holistic manner. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to identify EV profiles through Latent Class Analysis (LCA) and assess whether the different EV classes detected are associated with behaviors related to alcohol and cigarette consumption (chemical addiction) and smartphone use and binge eating (behavioral addiction). METHOD: This is a multicenter exploratory study, analyzing a database of 1,496 university students (1,190 from Brazil and 305 from Canada) who responded to online questionnaires. The instruments used include a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS-18), the Impulsive Behavior Scale (UPPS-P), the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21), the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), the Timeline Followback Drinking (TLFB), a questionnaire on cigarette and e-cigarette use, the Smartphone Addiction Scale - Short Version (SAS-SV), and the Addiction-like Eating Behavior Scale (AEBS). Variables will be standardized (z-score) to identify outliers, and LCA will be conducted to identify subgroups of emotional vulnerability based on 15 variables from the DERS-18, UPPS-P, and DASS-21 instruments. Model quality will be assessed using AIC, BIC, and entropy criteria. Parametric or non-parametric tests will be conducted based on the normality and homogeneity of the data, in addition to correlations between emotional scales and addictive behaviors. EXPECTED RESULTS: It is expected that LCA will identify distinct EV profiles, with individuals with higher vulnerability showing greater intensity of symptoms related to chemical addiction (alcohol and cigarettes) and behavioral addiction (smartphone use and binge eating). Additionally, it is expected that high levels of impulsivity, emotional dysregulation, anxiety, stress, and depression will be positively correlated with higher consumption of alcohol, cigarettes, smartphone addiction, and binge eating.