Psychiatric and socioeconomic aspects as possible predictors of compulsive buying behavior

Abstract

Introduction: Compulsive buying can be characterized as an almost irresistible urge to buy various items. Compulsive buying disorder is a subject of growing interest to health professionals. It is a current issue and the prevalence rate in the global population is around 5 to 8%. Objectives: The main objective of this study was to identify predictors of compulsive buying in the Brazilian population, assessing possible relationships between compulsive buying, depression and anxiety. Methods: The Richmond Compulsive Buying Scale was administered to screen for compulsive buying and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was used to assess anxiety and depression in a sample of 359 participants. Pearson coefficients were used to test for correlations. Results: Our study identified an interaction between female gender and compulsion to purchase. Furthermore, people's occupations also appear to have an influence on the problem. We found a correlation between depressive symptoms and oniomania. Conclusion: Our study has certain limitations, such as the difficulty in recruiting individuals with compulsive buying disorder. Since compulsive buying is a phenomenon that is seldom investigated, it therefore remains unidentified. However, this is nevertheless a pioneering paper on the Brazilian population.

Buying-shopping disorder—is there enough evidence to support its inclusion in ICD-11?

“…Population-based studies provide evidence that BSD is a cross-national problem with high prevalence rates within different cultural settings, including the United States, Europe, China, India, and Brazil. [16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26] Exemplary prevalence estimates for BSD are listed in Table 1. A recent metaanalysis indicated an estimated point prevalence of BSD of 5%, which is similar to the levels of other high-prevalence mental health disorders that receive considerable attention and are acknowledged as distinct conditions.…”

“…30 Most studies have failed to find significant differences between individuals with BSD and those without BSD with respect to other sociodemographic variables such as marital status, education, job situation, or income. 19,23,28 General population 1017 6.5 (East Germany) 8.1 (West Germany) Germany 18 General population 2350 6.9 Denmark 19 General population 964 5.1 Hungary 20 General population 2710 1.8 Spain (Galicia) 23 General population 2159 7.1 India 25 General population 2755 4.0 Brazil 26 General population 359 10.3 Estonia 21 Convenience sample 310 8 Italy 22 High school students 2853 11.3 China 24 University students 601 6.0…”