| Peer-Reviewed

Psychological Aspects of Shopping Addiction: Initial Test of a Stress and Coping Model

Received: 11 May 2021    Accepted: 24 May 2021    Published: 3 June 2021
Views:       Downloads:
Abstract

There is evidence to suggest that compulsive buying has all the elements of addictive behaviour and can become a psychological problem requiring intervention. The behaviour itself can be triggered by difficulties and distress and generate positive benefits for wellbeing in the short term. Longer term effects can be guilt, anxiety, and depression this sparking a negative affectivity cycle. Interest in the area has been reignited by the growth in online shopping during the recent COVID-19 Pandemic. This study aimed to explore a stress process model of shopping addiction by assessing the relationship between perceived stress, relationship satisfaction, rejection sensitivity, resilience, self-efficacy, loneliness, healthy lifestyle and wellbeing in female emerging adults. The study was based on an online survey of 332 females aged between 18-26 years and used questionnaire data collection. Data were analysed using correlations and path analysis with AMOS 26 software. Results show strong direct relationships between loneliness, rejection sensitivity and shopping addiction, with inverse relationships with resilience, self-efficacy, and relationship satisfaction. There is a reciprocal relationship between wellbeing and shopping addiction, which appears to be a symptom of underlying emotional difficulties. As a widespread and ultimately damaging behaviour it is suggested that it should be taken more seriously than is currently the case.

Published in International Journal of Psychological and Brain Sciences (Volume 6, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijpbs.20210602.12
Page(s) 29-35
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Shopping Addiction, Relationship Satisfaction, Loneliness, Rejection Sensitivity, Wellbeing

References
[1] Andreassen, C. S., Griffiths, M. D., Pallesen, S., Bilder, R. M., Torsheim, T. & Aboujaoude, E. (2015). The Bergen Shopping Addiction Scale: reliability and validity of a brief screening test. Frontiers in Psychology, 6: 1374. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01374.
[2] Clark, M. & Calleja, K. (2008) Shopping addiction: A preliminary investigation among Maltese university students, Addiction Research & Theory, 16: 6, 633-649, DOI: 10.1080/16066350801890050.
[3] Atalay, A. S., & Meloy, M. G. (2011). Retail Therapy: A Strategic Effort to Improve Mood Psychology & Marketing, 28 (6): 638–660; DOI: 10.1002/mar.20404.
[4] Elliott, A. (2006). A girl’s guide to retail therapy. New York: Barnes and Noble Publishing.
[5] Black, D. W., Shaw, M., McCormick, B., Bayless, J. D., & Allen, J. (2012) Neuropsychological performance, impulsivity, ADHD symptoms, and novelty seeking in compulsive buying disorder. Psychiatry Research. 200 (2): 581–587.
[6] Lawrence, L. M., Ciorciari, J., & Kyrios, M. (2014). Cognitive processes associated with compulsive buying behaviours and related EEG coherence. Psychiatry Research in Neuroimaging; 221 (1): 97–103.
[7] Faber, R. J., & Vohs, K. (2004). To buy or not to buy? Self-control and self-regulatory failure in purchase behavior. In R. F. Baumeister & K. D. Vohs (Eds.), Handbook of self-regulation: Research, theory and applications (pp. 509–524). New York: Guilford Press.
[8] Donnelly, G. E., Ksendzova, M., Howell, R. T., Vohs, K. D., & Baumeister, R. F. (2016). Buying to Blunt Negative Feelings: Materialistic Escape from the Self. Review of General Psychology, 20 (3), 272–316. https://doi.org/10.1037/gpr0000078
[9] Burroughs, J. E., & Rindfleisch, A. (2002). Materialism and well-being: A conflicting values perspective. The Journal of Consumer Research, 29, 348–370. http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/344429
[10] Shrum, L. J., Wong, N., Arif, F., Chugani, S. K., Gunz, A., Lowrey, T. M., & Sundie, J. (2013). Reconceptualizing materialism as identity goal pursuits: Functions, processes, and consequences. Journal of Business Research, 66, 1179–1185. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2012.08.010
[11] Sirgy, M. J., Gurel-Atay, E., Webb, D., Cicic, M., Husic, M., Ekici, A.,... Johar, J. S. (2013). Is materialism all that bad? Effects on satisfaction with material life, life satisfaction, and economic motivation. Social Indicators Research, 110, 349–366. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11205-011-9934-2
[12] Pieters, R. (2013). Bidirectional dynamics of materialism and loneliness: Not just a vicious cycle. The Journal of Consumer Research, 40, 615–631. http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/671564
[13] Baumeister, R. F. (1988). Masochism as escape from self. Journal of Sex Research, 25, 28–59. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00224498809551444
[14] Breines, J. G., & Ayduk, O. (2015). Rejection Sensitivity and Vulnerability to Self-Directed Hostile Cognitions Following Rejection. Journal of Personality 83: 1, DOI: 10.1111/jopy.12077.
[15] Downey, G., & Feldman, S. I. (1996). Implications of rejection sensitivity for intimate relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 70, 1327–1343.
[16] Ayduk, O., Mendoza-Denton, R., Mischel, W., Downey, G., Peake, P. K., & Rodriguez, M. (2000). Regulating the interpersonal self: Strategic self-regulation for coping with rejection sensitivity. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 79 (5), 776–792. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.79.5.776
[17] Watson, J. & Drew, N. (2012). Rejection Sensitivity, Social Withdrawal, and Loneliness in Young Adults. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 42, 8, pp. 1984–2005. doi: 10.1111/j.1559-1816.2012.00927.x.
[18] Schaan, V. K., Schulz, A., Bernstein, M., Schachinger, H., & Vogele, C. (2020) Effects of rejection intensity and rejection sensitivity on social approach behavior in women. PLoS ONE 15 (1): e0227799. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0227799
[19] Fontana, A., Callea, A., Casini, E. & Curti, V. (2018). Rejection Sensitivity and internet addiction in adolescence: exploring the mediating role of emerging personality disorders. Clinical Neuropsychiatry. 15. 206.
[20] Mueller A, Mueller U, Albert P, Glaesmer, H., & de Zwaan, M. (2007). Hoarding in a compulsive buying sample. Journal of Behaviour Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry; 45 (11): 2754-63.
[21] Workman, L., & Paper, D. (2010). Compulsive Buying: A Theoretical Framework. The Journal of Business Inquiry, 9, 89-126.
[22] O'Connor, D. B., Thayer, J. F. & Vedhara, K. (2021). Stress and Health: A Review of Psychobiological Processes. Annual Review of Psychology, 72, 663–688. Doi: 10.1146/annurev-psych-062520-122331.
[23] Folkman, S. (2012). Stress, Health, and Coping: Synthesis, Commentary, and Future Directions. In Susan Folkman (ed.) The Oxford Handbook of Stress, Health, and Coping. New York. Oxford University Press. DOI: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195375343.013.0022.
[24] Wang, M. & Saudino, K. (2011). Emotion Regulation and Stress. Journal of Adult Development. 18. 95-103. 10.1007/s10804-010-9114-7.
[25] Smith, B. W., Dalen, J., Wiggins, K., Tooley, E., Christopher, P., & Bernard, J. (2008). The Brief Resilience Scale. Measuring the Ability to Bounce Back. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 15: 194–200.
[26] Schwarzer, R. & Jerusalem, M. (1995). Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale. In J. Weinman, S. Wright & M. Johnston (Eds.), Measures in health psychology: A user’s portfolio. Causal and control beliefs (35-37). Windsor, UK: NFER-NELSON.
[27] Hughes, M. E., Waite, L. J., Hawkley, L. C. & Cacioppo, J. T. (2004). A Short Scale for Measuring Loneliness in Large Surveys: Results from two Population-Based Studies. Research on Aging, 26 (6), 655-672. DOI: 10.1177/0164027504268574.
[28] Russell, Dan, Peplau, L. A. & Cutrona, C. E. 1980. The Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale: Concurrent and Discriminant Validity Evidence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 39: 472-80.
[29] Cohen, S., Kamarck, T., & Mermelstein, R. (1983). A global measure of perceived stress. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 24, 385-396.
[30] Tennant, R., Hiller, L., Fishwick, R., et al. (2007). The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS): Development and UK validation. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 5 (63), 1-13.
[31] Vaughn, M. & Matyastik Baier, M. E. (1999). Reliability and validity of the Relationship Assessment Scale. American Journal of Family Therapy, 27 (2), 137-147.
[32] Hampson, S. E., Edmonds, G. W., & Goldberg, L. R. (2019). The Health Behavior Checklist: Factor structure in community samples and validity of a revised good health practices scale. Journal of Health Psychology, 24 (8), 1103-1109. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105316687629
[33] Leach, D., & Kranzler, H. R. (2013). An Interpersonal Model of Addiction Relapse. Addictive Disorders & their Treatment; 12 (4): 183-192. DOI: 10.1097/adt.0b013e31826ac408.
[34] Koran, L. M., Faber R. J., Aboujaoude, E., Large, M. D., & Serpe, R. T., (2006). Estimated Prevalence of Compulsive Buying Behavior in the United States. American Journal of Psychiatry 163: 10, 1806–1812.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Tony Cassidy, Zara Adair. (2021). Psychological Aspects of Shopping Addiction: Initial Test of a Stress and Coping Model. International Journal of Psychological and Brain Sciences, 6(2), 29-35. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijpbs.20210602.12

    Copy | Download

    ACS Style

    Tony Cassidy; Zara Adair. Psychological Aspects of Shopping Addiction: Initial Test of a Stress and Coping Model. Int. J. Psychol. Brain Sci. 2021, 6(2), 29-35. doi: 10.11648/j.ijpbs.20210602.12

    Copy | Download

    AMA Style

    Tony Cassidy, Zara Adair. Psychological Aspects of Shopping Addiction: Initial Test of a Stress and Coping Model. Int J Psychol Brain Sci. 2021;6(2):29-35. doi: 10.11648/j.ijpbs.20210602.12

    Copy | Download

  • @article{10.11648/j.ijpbs.20210602.12,
      author = {Tony Cassidy and Zara Adair},
      title = {Psychological Aspects of Shopping Addiction: Initial Test of a Stress and Coping Model},
      journal = {International Journal of Psychological and Brain Sciences},
      volume = {6},
      number = {2},
      pages = {29-35},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijpbs.20210602.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijpbs.20210602.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijpbs.20210602.12},
      abstract = {There is evidence to suggest that compulsive buying has all the elements of addictive behaviour and can become a psychological problem requiring intervention. The behaviour itself can be triggered by difficulties and distress and generate positive benefits for wellbeing in the short term. Longer term effects can be guilt, anxiety, and depression this sparking a negative affectivity cycle. Interest in the area has been reignited by the growth in online shopping during the recent COVID-19 Pandemic. This study aimed to explore a stress process model of shopping addiction by assessing the relationship between perceived stress, relationship satisfaction, rejection sensitivity, resilience, self-efficacy, loneliness, healthy lifestyle and wellbeing in female emerging adults. The study was based on an online survey of 332 females aged between 18-26 years and used questionnaire data collection. Data were analysed using correlations and path analysis with AMOS 26 software. Results show strong direct relationships between loneliness, rejection sensitivity and shopping addiction, with inverse relationships with resilience, self-efficacy, and relationship satisfaction. There is a reciprocal relationship between wellbeing and shopping addiction, which appears to be a symptom of underlying emotional difficulties. As a widespread and ultimately damaging behaviour it is suggested that it should be taken more seriously than is currently the case.},
     year = {2021}
    }
    

    Copy | Download

  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Psychological Aspects of Shopping Addiction: Initial Test of a Stress and Coping Model
    AU  - Tony Cassidy
    AU  - Zara Adair
    Y1  - 2021/06/03
    PY  - 2021
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijpbs.20210602.12
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijpbs.20210602.12
    T2  - International Journal of Psychological and Brain Sciences
    JF  - International Journal of Psychological and Brain Sciences
    JO  - International Journal of Psychological and Brain Sciences
    SP  - 29
    EP  - 35
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2575-1573
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijpbs.20210602.12
    AB  - There is evidence to suggest that compulsive buying has all the elements of addictive behaviour and can become a psychological problem requiring intervention. The behaviour itself can be triggered by difficulties and distress and generate positive benefits for wellbeing in the short term. Longer term effects can be guilt, anxiety, and depression this sparking a negative affectivity cycle. Interest in the area has been reignited by the growth in online shopping during the recent COVID-19 Pandemic. This study aimed to explore a stress process model of shopping addiction by assessing the relationship between perceived stress, relationship satisfaction, rejection sensitivity, resilience, self-efficacy, loneliness, healthy lifestyle and wellbeing in female emerging adults. The study was based on an online survey of 332 females aged between 18-26 years and used questionnaire data collection. Data were analysed using correlations and path analysis with AMOS 26 software. Results show strong direct relationships between loneliness, rejection sensitivity and shopping addiction, with inverse relationships with resilience, self-efficacy, and relationship satisfaction. There is a reciprocal relationship between wellbeing and shopping addiction, which appears to be a symptom of underlying emotional difficulties. As a widespread and ultimately damaging behaviour it is suggested that it should be taken more seriously than is currently the case.
    VL  - 6
    IS  - 2
    ER  - 

    Copy | Download

Author Information
  • School of Psychology, Ulster University, Coleraine, Northern Ireland

  • School of Psychology, Ulster University, Coleraine, Northern Ireland

  • Sections