Abstract
Personality traits and coping strategies have historically been two key elements in the field of health psychology. It is, therefore, striking that there is no study in the field of compulsive buying that integrates the most generic, decontextualized and stable aspects (traits) with those having a more marked processual and dynamic nature, which are closer to goal-based views of human nature (coping strategies). Another weakness of the compulsive buying field is that, despite the confirmed growing increase in compulsive buying in the younger age groups, most studies have been conducted with adult samples. Hence, this study seeks to clarify the role of the Big Five domains and different coping strategies in university students’ compulsive buying. The sample consisted of 1093 participants who were classified as either compulsive buyers or non-compulsive buyers. Both groups were compared regarding sociodemographic variables (gender, age), the Big Five personality traits, and coping strategies through chi-square tests or Student’s t-tests. Besides, a multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine which of these determinants might play a part in the construction of a risk profile for compulsive buying. The results showed that other than gender (specifically being female), Neuroticism and the use of such coping strategies as problem avoidance and wishful thinking are risk factors that increase the propensity for compulsive buying. The use of active coping strategies such as problem solving, cognitive restructuring and social support, as well as the Conscientiousness dimension are protection factors that decrease the likelihood of becoming a compulsive buyer. Finally, and on the basis of the findings obtained, possible guidelines are given, which, hopefully, may effectively contribute to the prevention of and/or intervention in compulsive buying among young adults.
Highlights
Comparisons between compulsive buyers and non-compulsive buyers in relation to sociodemographic determinants revealed significant prevalence differences by gender, as compulsive buying prevalence was higher in females than males
The results show that, as well as gender, Neuroticism and the use of such coping strategies as problem avoidance and wishful thinking are risk factors in relation to compulsive buying
Results clearly show that both types of determinants are necessary and useful to attain a better understanding of compulsive buying
Summary
There is a broad consensus in the scientific literature on the fact that compulsive buying has become, over the last few decades, a growing phenomenon that is characteristic of modern consumer societies. It has been conceptualized as a chronic and repetitive purchasing that becomes a primary response to negative events or feelings that provides short-term positive rewards but results in long-term negative consequence [1] both personally and within the family [2,3]. The age of onset of compulsive buying tends to occur by the late teen years or early twenties [4]
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