Effect of family environment on adolescent compulsive buying: mediating role of self-esteem

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediating role of self-esteem in the relationship between parent-adolescent relationship and adolescent compulsive buying behaviour. Using a sample of 300 adolescents (15-18 years) in India and the structural equation modelling technique, the findings reveal that self-esteem mediates the relationship between parent-adolescent relationship and adolescent compulsive buying behaviour. Design/methodology/approach – The present study is the first to experimentally manipulate important parent-adolescent relationship and measures its impact on compulsive buying among a sample of 15-18-year old adolescents. Next, the authors investigate the mediating role of self-esteem for the above relationship. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling have been used in the study. Findings – The study also establishes that familial conflict and cohesion acts as major sources of adolescent compulsivity. The authors have also examined the mediating role of self-esteem on the above relationships and found that adolescents’ compulsivity varies with the level of self-esteem (i.e. higher level of self-esteem leads to lower levels of adolescents’ compulsivity). The practical and theoretical implications are discussed within the context of adolescents’ compulsivity. Originality/value – The study makes some inimitable and significant contributions to the literature. It portrays one of few studies to investigate compulsive buying during adolescence period – a hard to reach population. Here authors experimentally manipulate parent-adolescent relationship to investigate its impact on compulsive buying. The study’s findings in regard to mediating effect of self-esteem on the parent-adolescent relationship and adolescents’ compulsive buying behaviour suggest that compulsive buying begins during adolescence period and is a common coping strategy for both boys and girls.

Life Aspirations, Generativity and Compulsive Buying in University Students

“…Specifically, the finding whereby a low self-acceptance is associated with a higher probability of compulsive buying was consistent with those found by other researchers in the field [28,104] who note that a weak self-worth in combination with a lack in confidence in their ability to take on challenges and responsibilities entails an increased risk of engaging in "compensatory" behaviour. As to the restraining effect on compulsive buying which, according to our results, affiliation seems to have, there is previous empirical evidence as to the fact that compulsive buyers have significantly lower levels in agreeableness' facets (e.g., trust, straightforwardness, altruism) [84], greater narcissism [105,106] and negative family environment (i.e., higher family conflict and lower support) [107,108]. It could be hypothesised that this antagonistic interpersonal orientation may be reinforced, at least in part, by the emotional instability that makes relationships more difficult and less satisfactory.…”

Compulsive buying among young adults: a behavioural segmentation

“…There was also a significantly higher incidence of CBB among undergraduates compared with postgraduate students; however, this may indirectly reflect the respondents' age differences. Given that CBB has its foundation in an inner emotional/psychological imbalance such as anxiety (Singh and Kumar Nayak, 2016), it was considered appropriate to test if being in a relationship affects the condition; however, the result was non-significant.…”

Determinants of object choice and object attachment: Compensatory consumption in compulsive buying–shopping disorder and hoarding disorder

“…DeSarbo and Edwards (1996) postulated that compulsive buying helps individuals escape anxiety brought on by stressors, such as poor family communication and social isolation. In support of this assumption, greater familial conflict and greater social anxiety are associated with more compulsive buying (Harnish, Bridges, Gump, & Carson, 2018;Rindfleish, Burroughs, & Denton, 1997;Roberts, Pullig, & David, 2019;Singh & Nayak, 2016). Moreover, compulsive buyers (CBs) report being lonely prior to a buying episode (Faber & O'Guinn, 1992) and seek-out the interpersonal contact offered by retail outlets (Krueger, 1988).…”