Compulsive Buying Behavior: Characteristics of Comorbidity with Gambling Disorder

Abstract

Compulsive buying behavior (CBB) has begun to be recognized as a condition worthy of attention by clinicians and researchers. Studies on the commonalities between CBB and other behavioral addictions such as gambling disorder (GD) exist in the literature, but additional research is needed to assess the frequency and clinical relevance of the comorbidity of CBB and GD. The aim of the study was to estimate the point-prevalence of CBB+GD in a clinical setting. Data corresponded to n = 3221 treatment-seeking patients who met criteria for CBB or GD at a public hospital unit specialized in treating behavioral addictions. Three groups were compared: only-CBB (n = 127), only-GD (n = 3118) and comorbid CBB+GD (n = 24). Prevalence for the co-occurrence of CBB+GD was 0.75%. In the stratum of patients with GD, GD+CBB comorbidity obtained relatively low point prevalence (0.77%), while in the subsample of CBB patients the estimated prevalence of comorbid GD was relatively high (18.9%). CBB+GD comorbidity was characterized by lower prevalence of single patients, higher risk of other behavioral addictions (sex, gaming or internet), older age and age of onset. CBB+GD registered a higher proportion of women compared to only-GD (37.5 vs. 10.0%) but a higher proportion of men compared to only-CBB (62.5 vs. 24.4%). Compared to only-GD patients, the simultaneous presence of CBB+GD was associated with increased psychopathology and dysfunctional levels of harm avoidance. This study provides empirical evidence to better understand CBB, GD and their co-occurrence. Future research should help delineate the processes through which people acquire and develop this comorbidity.

Compulsive buying among young adults: a behavioural segmentation

“…This suggests that while both genders experience occasional compulsive buying urges and have the potential to progress into a more serious condition, its development into a problematic disorder is more prevalent in women. Together with Granero et al's (2016) findings, this indicates that the level of compulsivity beyond that experienced by NCO consumers continues with increased intensity for females while for males, it may develop into a different type of disordered behaviour e.g. gambling, which is more prevalent in young males.…”

“…Compulsive buyers often display procrastination, indecision (De Sarbo & Edwards, 1996) and compulsive collecting tendency (Frost et al, 1998), typical symptoms of anxiety and depression (Muller et al, 2010), they also manifest comorbidity with other compulsive disorders (Black et al, 2015) such as gambling (Claes et al, 2011;Granero et al, 2016;Trautmann-Attmann & Widner Johnson, 2009). In addition, compulsive purchasers tend to respond positively to direct mail (Valence et al, 1988) and experience mounting anxiety when they cannot go shopping (Faber & O'Guinn, 1989) and a sense of restlessness because of their preoccupation with spending (Saraneva and Saaksjarvi, 2008); this is intrusive, unrelenting and irrational until 6 buying takes place (McElroy et al, 1994).…”

Food Addiction in Gambling Disorder: Frequency and Clinical Outcomes

“…This is consistent with another study, conducted in eating disorder outpatients, showing that FA is strongly related to low self-directedness (Wolz et al, 2016). Moreover, self-directedness is a personality feature described extensively in both GD and other behavioral addictions (Granero et al, 2016a,b), as well as in eating disorders with and without associated behavioral addictions (Moragas et al, 2015). Apart from this, patients with FA were found to have higher scores in self-transcendence (individuals with this personality trait tend to be unconventional, illogical, suspicious, and immature; Cloninger et al, 1998).…”

Reward and punishment sensitivity in women with gambling disorder or compulsive buying: Implications in treatment outcome

“…Evidence for shared features between CB and GD has been reported and because of this, both have been proposed for conceptualization on the compulsive–impulsive spectrum (Bottesi, Ghisi, Ouimet, Tira, & Sanavio, 2014; Yi, 2013). Among their shared features the following are highlighted: the urge to achieve immediate gratification or relieve of a negative emotion through an impulsive/compulsive behavior, the early onset of the problematic addictive behavior, and impaired money management skills (Granero et al., 2016). …”