Boredom Mediates the Relationship between Depression Symptoms and Compulsive Buying Behavior among Female Adolescents

PurposeAlthough much research focuses on the compulsive buying behavior theory, little attention has been paid to evaluation and diagnosis of compulsive buying in Eastern Europe. This is surprising, given an increasing prevalence of consumerism in many transitioning economies. Young consumers are particularly vulnerable to this phenomenon. The purpose of this study is to adapt the Richmond Compulsive Buying Scale to the Eastern European, specifically Polish cultural and language environment, and to validate it within a group of young Polish consumers, as well to assess the compulsive buying prevalence and the relationship between the compulsive buying and its precursors.Design/methodology/approachThe Richmond Compulsive Buying Scale was selected for adaptation to the Polish context as it represents one of the best methodological and substantive compulsive buying measures in literature. The research is composed of two studies. Study 1 uses an in-person survey of young consumers (N = 504). A wide range of statistical procedures and latent variable modeling was used in the analysis. Study 2 (N = 756) uses an online survey to evaluate the correlation and relationship between the compulsive buying measure and its precursors, including consumers’ traits and states, by implementing a multiple indicators and multiple causes model.FindingsThe results of the two studies confirm that the adapted scale represents a valid and reliable measure of compulsive buying tendency in Poland, with the identified incidence rate of compulsive buying among Polish young consumers ranging from 11% in Study 1 to 11.6% in Study 2. In comparison with the results of other studies using the same measure, the current research findings reveal a similarity with the compulsive buying prevalence in China (10.4%; He et al., 2018), Brazil (9.8%; Leite et al., 2013) and slightly exceed the level found in western societies (e.g. 8.9% in the USA; Ridgway et al., 2008). The results of Study 2 indicate that compulsive buying in Poland is induced by low self-esteem and high levels of materialism, depression, anxiety, stress and negative feelings.Research limitations/implicationsThe present research offers a methodological and substantive contribution by adapting and testing the original version of the Richmond Compulsive Buying Scale within an Eastern European transitional market; specifically Poland. In addition, the study offers an empirical contribution to the international research on compulsive behavior, including its precursors, as seen in young consumers.Practical implicationsThis research offers important public policy implications and highlights ethical implications for business organizations. In particular, the findings of this study offer suggestions for enhancing policies and processes of programing appropriate social and educational campaigns that can save young consumers from the negative consequences of compulsive buying.Originality/valueThe transitional status of the Polish economy and other Eastern European countries has given rise to compulsive buying behavior, especially among young consumers. This emerging consumer behavior trend in Eastern Europe is still underexplored and underreported; hence, there exists a strong need for exploring and measuring such behavior across different Eastern European markets.

Introduction Compulsive buying refers to a condition where consumers make purchases repetitively and excessively (Ridgway, Kukar-Kinney & Monroe, 2008; Japutra, Ekinci & Simkin, 2017). Previous literature shows that two types of behaviors characterize compulsive buying: impulsive buying and obsessive-compulsive buying (Ridgeway et al, 2008). Impulsive buying refers to unplanned purchase due to consumers’ inevitable impulse (Kacen & Lee, 2002), and obsessive-compulsive buying reflects a preoccupation in buying to reduce anxiety (Ridgway et al, 2008). Compulsive buying behaviors have been analyzed under the framework of motivation theory (McGuire, 1976). Nevertheless, research is still needed to understand more on the phenomena of compulsive buying (e.g., Kukkar-Kinney et al., 2016; Japutra et al., 2017). This study aims to explore the antecedents of compulsive buying behaviors using implicit theories. According to the implicit theories, mindset shapes the motivation of consumer behaviors (Dweck, 2000; Murphy & Dweck, 2016). Mindset refers to the beliefs about the nature of human characteristics, and individuals may possess two types of mindset – fixed and growth mindset (Murphy & Dweck, 2016). People with a fixed mindset believe that individuals’ qualities such as intelligence and competence are set and hard to change, whereas those with a growth mindset tend to believe that all individuals are able to change and develop through efforts and experiences. We argue that mindsets influence compulsive buying, and we propose that deal proneness mediates the relationship between mindset and compulsive buying. In doing so, we aim to enhance our knowledge in understanding how mindset affects compulsive buying behavior. Literature review and hypotheses According to the implicit theories, consumers with fixed mindsets believe that one’s abilities are fixed and hard to improve, and thus feel the need to prove, to themselves and others, that they have the abilities and/or they are successful (Murphy & Dweck, 2016). Thus, fixed mindset consumers tend to demonstrate their worth by using image-enhancing products and brands (Park & John, 2012). Deals, such as free gifts and offer of coupons, reduce the transaction cost and increase the perceived value of these image-enhancing purchases. In particular, since fixed mindset consumers favor success with little effort (Murphy and Dweck, 2016), deals can help them achieve their goal of image enhancement with lower cost. Thus, we hypothesize that: H1 Fixed mindset is positively related to deal proneness. For consumers with growth mindsets, a major motivation for their consumer behavior is to learn and improve (Murphy & Dweck, 2016). As the research by Blackwell et al. (2007) shows, growth mindset consumers are eager to participate in the self-improving process and achieve mastery. Thus, growth mindset consumers may perceive the information of discounts, free gifts and coupons as part of the adventurous process where they make the cost-benefit analysis and improve their abilities as wiser consumers. Thus, we propose: H2 Growth mindset is positively related to deal proneness. Previous studies show that compulsive buying is associated with high deal proneness (Kukar-Kinney et al, 2012). Deals may imply perceived value of the purchase and enhanced shopping enjoyment (Grewal, Monroe, & Krishnan, 1998), and thus serve as an effective contextual factor in inducing compulsive behaviors (Kukar-Kinney et al, 2016). Furthermore, deals provide an excuse and rationale for the purchase, which can be used to overcome the sense of guilt compulsive buyers often experience after their compulsive buying behavior (O’Guinn & Faber, 1989). Thus, we make the following hypotheses. H3 Deal proneness is positively related to impulsive buying. H4 Deal proneness is positively related to obsessive-compulsive buying. Finally, we argue that deal proneness mediates the relationship between consumer mindsets and compulsive buying behavior. According to the implicit theories, consumer mindsets inspire how consumption goals are pursued (Murphy & Dweck, 2016). Consumers with a fixed mindset pursue a performance goal, and they tend to use brands to feel positive about themselves and improve impression on others (Park & John, 2010). In contrast, consumers with a growth mindset hold that people can always learn and improve and thus are tuned to learning goals (Murphy & Dweck, 2016). Hence, for fixed mindset consumers, deal offers suggest lower costs for image-enhancing purchases, and provide an excuse for the compulsive buying behavior. For growth mindset consumers, deal offers can imply a learning and adventurous process .These consumers may feel that they can make better purchasing decisions by taking advantage of various deals. We thus hypothesize that: H5 Deal proneness mediates the relationship between fixed mindset and impulsive buying (H5a), between fixed mindset and obsessive-compulsive buying (H5b), between growth mindset and impulsive buying (H5c), and between growth mindset and obsessive-compulsive buying (H5d). Method A questionnaire was developed to gather responses and test the hypotheses. All of the items to measure the constructs were developed from existing scales based on previous research. Fixed and growth mindsets were measured using scales developed by Park and John (2012). Deal proneness was measured using items following Lichtenstein et al. (1997). Impulsive buying and obsessive-compulsive buying were measured using items developed by Ridgway et al. (2008). All items were rated on a 7-point Likert scale, ranging from “strongly disagree” (1) to “strongly agree” (7). The questionnaire was administered using an online survey (N=421 respondents). Of these, 57.7% were female, 71.5% had a university degree, 50% were 31-40 years old, 41% were 26-30 years old, and 46.3% had a monthly income of 5,001-10,000 RMB. Results and discussion To test the hypotheses within the research model, a Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach was employed, using AMOS 18.0. First, a measurement model was created to assess the validity and reliability of the scales. The distribution of the data was checked. The absolute value of the skewness and kurtosis of each items were within +/- 1, suggesting normal distribution was achieved. The measurement model produced good fit (Hair et al., 2010): χ2(109) = 281.21, χ2/df = 2.58, GFI = .93, NFI = .93, CFI = .96, and RMSEA = .06. All values representing the AVE were greater than 0.5 and greater than the squared inter-constructs correlations, indicating convergent and discriminant validity were achieved (Fornell & Larcker, 1981). Cronbach’s alpha values exceeded .70, indicating the constructs were reliable (Hair et al., 1995). The results of the checking common-method variance problem through exploratory factor analysis (EFA) test revealed 3 factors with Eigen values greater than 1. The results accounted for 64.67% of the total variance, where the first factor accounted for 27.55% of the total variance, suggesting that common-method variance did not pose a significant problem since there was no general factor in the un-rotated structure (Podsakoff et al., 2003). Next, a structural model was created. The structural model produced good fit (Hair et al., 2010): χ2(114) = 476.15, χ2/df = 4.18, GFI = .89, NFI = .89, CFI = .91, and RMSEA = .09. Table 1 displays the results of SEM. The results support H1 and H2. Both fixed and growth mindsets are positively associated with deal proneness. The results support H3 and H4, which shows that deal proneness are positively associated with impulsive and obsessive-compulsive buying. The results support H5a, which states that deal proneness mediates the relationship between fixed mindset and impulsive buying. However, the results do not support H5b, H5c and H5d. Conclusion Using the implicit theories, this research aims to gain better insight into compulsive buying behavior. Our findings, obtained from a sample of respondents in China, show that deal proneness serves as a mediator between fixed mindset and compulsive buying behaviors. According to the implicit theories, consumer mindsets inspire how consumption goals are pursued (Murphy & Dweck, 2016). For instance, consumers with a fixed mindset pursue a performance goal. They tend to use brands to feel positive about themselves and improve impression on others (Park & John, 2010). Thus, it is likely that fixed mindset consumers buy compulsively to signal and communicate their “self” to others. In particular, for fixed mindset consumers, deals may increase the perceived value of image-enhancing purchases. Thus, deals provide an excuse for the compulsive purchase where fixed mindset consumers can improve self-image and demonstrate their worth with lower costs. Given this mediating role of deal proneness between fixed mindset and compulsive buying, it will be interesting to test further how consumers with a fixed mindset respond to different types of deals in future research. For firm managers and public policy makers, our findings imply that, to lessen consumers’ overspending, firms should reduce excessive number of deals, and governments should also regulate firms’ advertisement so that it will not overly promote deals.

The research aims to identify the influence of personality traits and Mindfulness on compulsive buying behavior among a sample of female students at King Khalid University. It also seeks to uncover the correlational relationship between compulsive buying behavior, personality traits, and Mindfulness, and to predict compulsive buying behavior through Mindfulness and depressive symptoms within the same sample. The research sample consisted of 300 female students from King Khalid University, aged between 18 and 28 years, with an average age of 21 years and five months, and a standard deviation of 2.58 years. The research tools included the Personality Traits Scale (Abdel-Kafi, 2006), the Five-Factor Mindfulness Scale (Baer et al., 2006) adapted and standardized by Al-Bahri, Al-Dub, Talib, and Al-Awamleh (2014), and the Compulsive Buying Scale (Maraz et al., 2015). The research findings indicated a high level of Mindfulness and a statistically significant negative correlation at the 0.01 level between compulsive buying and both Mindfulness. Mindfulness played a significant role in predicting compulsive buying behavior. The researcher provided several recommendations, including raising awareness among professionals in psychology about compulsive buying behavior, promoting proper emotional coping mechanisms, and fostering balanced buying habits for all members of society.

ABSTRACTThe current study explores the intersection of personal values theory, consumer culture, and compulsive buying behavior theories. By examining the importance of different values types, we aim to understand the extent to which specific values influence individuals' tendency to either embrace or resist maladaptive behaviors like compulsive buying. This study postulated that one's values can both contribute to the development of compulsive buying tendencies and act as a protective factor. Importantly, we explored this values‐compulsive relationship within the contrasting consumer cultures of the United States characterized by individualism, and Poland, which predominantly exhibits collectivistic trends. In this work, we utilized two distinct samples/studies of American (n = 367) and Polish (n = 370) consumers and employed two key measurement tools: the Portrait Values Questionnaire and the Richmond Compulsive Buying Scale. The research findings revealed that values such as self‐direction, stimulation, hedonism, power, and achievement tend to promote compulsive buying tendencies irrespective of the cultural context. However, the prevalence of compulsive buying is more pronounced among American consumers compared to their Polish counterparts. Furthermore, the impact of hedonism and achievement on compulsive buying was twice as large in the United States as it was in Poland. On the other hand, values such as tradition, security, conformity, benevolence, and universalism appeared to help individuals in preventing or mitigating compulsive buying behavior. This study underscores the critical role of personal values, cultural variations, and their impact on compulsive buying tendencies among consumers. It highlights the presence of specific personal values that can either inhibit or facilitate the development of compulsive buying behaviors.

Measuring compulsive buying behaviour: Psychometric validity of three different scales and prevalence in the general population and in shopping centres

The purpose of this study was to develop an understanding of the compulsive buying experience through an in-depth exploration of what it is like to be a compulsive buyer, and in particular, a compulsive clothing buyer. A phenomenological approach to inquiry was employed. In-depth interviews were conducted with a total of 6 females in the US. Participants were also asked to keep personal journals. Recorded interviews and journals were transcribed verbatim. Responses were analyzed thematically by the researchers. Four main core thematic areas emerged and were used to structure the interpretation: The Person, The Process, The Product, and The Path to Recovery. Findings from this study support and enhance previous studies suggesting the importance of clothing among compulsive buyers. However, this study is the first to offer potential explanations for this preference, including the physical attributes of the product as well as its ability to transform the self through appearance.

Compulsive buying is a psychosocial symptom as indicated by excessive buying behavior, even items purchased not always have a positive use value. This study analyzes the existing compulsive buying in adolescence and review of the role offamily factors. The hypothesis is there a relationship between compulsive buying behavior in families with several factors, including a divorce in the family, the family members of deviant behavior, patterns communication in families, parental yielding, and the perceptions of parents of compulsive buying. The subject of this research is student of senior high school and university in Yogyakarta. This research using compulsive buying scale, deviant behavior of family member scale, pattern communication in families scale, parental yielding scale, and perceptions of parents of compulsive buying scale.Through a quantitative approach to the studyfound that of the severalfactors mentioned, there is only perception of compulsive buying factor that has a positive influence on compulsive buying behavior. Regression analysis showed that compulsive buying behavior in adolescents, 8.2 % is determined by the perception of the parents and the rest of the behavior is influenced by otherfactors. The more positive perception ofthe parents, then the compulsive buying behavior in which appears also higher. Conversely, the more negative the perception of older people who appear compulsive buying is also lower.Key words: Compulsive buying, family factors

Compulsive behavior is an important topic for social scientists. One form of this behavior is compulsive buying. Using data sets from two countries, the USA and South Korea, the Diagnostic Screener for Compulsive Buying (DSCB) (Faber and O'Guinn 1992) is tested with specific emphasis on the scale's cross‐cultural transferability. We find evidence that the DSCB is unidimensional in the USA and bi‐dimensional in South Korea, suggesting a lack of transferability. Potential cultural reasons for the findings are discussed in detail as well as the implications for public policy and future research.

This study aims to enhance our understanding of the reciprocal association between subjective financial well-being and compulsive buying behavior while also considering the role of Islamic financial literacy as a boundary condition. The data for this research were collected in two phases from a sample of 266 students in Jakarta. The collected data were then analyzed using macro process version 4 to assess the proposed hypotheses. The study's findings confirm that subjective financial well-being and Islamic financial literacy negatively impact compulsive buying behavior. Moreover, the study reveals a subsequent influence of compulsive buying on future financial well-being, supporting a reciprocal relationship. Additionally, Islamic financial literacy plays a crucial role in mitigating the effect of financial well-being on compulsive buying behavior.
 Public interest statements 
 Technological developments have brought changes in consumer behavior and sometimes have a negative impact on compulsive buying behavior. This research helps mitigate the effects of subjective financial well-being on compulsive behavior and how the two influence each other. In addition, students need to be given an understanding of Islamic financial literacy to control their buying behavior.
 Article history
 Received: 6/12/2023 | Revised: 7/4/2023 | Accepted: 7/4/2023 | Online First: 7/5/2023

Online shopping addiction can lead to compulsive buying behavior; self-control plays a crucial role in managing these behaviors. The study focused on exploring the relationship between online shopping addiction and compulsive buying behavior among young adults, with self-control acting as a mediator. Online Shopping Addiction Scale was used to measure online shopping addiction (Zhao et al., 2017). The compulsive Buying Behavior Scale was used to measure the severity of compulsive buying tendencies (Valence et al., 1988). The Brief Self-Control Scale (BSCS) was utilized to assess self-control (Tangney et al., 2004). The cross-sectional correlational research design was used in the current study. The sample consisted of (N=300) young adults with an age range of 18-39 years. In correlation analysis, a significant positive relationship was found between online shopping addiction and compulsive buying behavior; also, findings revealed that both online shopping addiction and compulsive buying behavior were negatively correlated with self-control. Significant mean differences in online shopping addiction, compulsive buying behavior, and self-control were found across genders in relation to the study variable. The mediation analysis showed that self-control had a significant mediating impact on the relationship between online shopping addiction and compulsive buying behavior.

The association between the coping attitudes and compulsive online buying behaviors of nurses

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the impact of materialism on credit card (CC) use and impulsive buying (IB) and compulsive buying (CB) behaviour. Furthermore, it assesses whether CC use and IB behaviour mediate the relationship between materialism and CB behaviour. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from adult consumers with CCs via an online survey. For model assessment, a two-step approach was followed. First, a measurement model was created and tested using maximum likelihood estimation and validity of the study constructs was assessed. This was followed by structural equation modelling to test the hypotheses. Findings Materialism influences CC use and increases the propensity for IB (IB), which then precipitates CB habits. Reduction in CC use can decrease both IB and CB. Out of the six hypotheses assessed, only the one linking CC use to CB was not supported, requiring further investigation. Mediation relationships were identified, where CC use and IB act as mediators between materialism and CB. Research limitations/implications The paper captured responses from adult consumers of India. Hence, the findings may not be generalised across geographies and age groups. The study contributes to the debate on the impulsive–CB paradigm by showing that impulsive and CB are not distinct constructs. In fact, the former could lead to the latter. Practical implications CC use in itself need not necessarily lead to CB. The only way CC could cause CB is through IB. Hence, firms must promote responsible buying habits, as there has been an increase in IB, which, if not controlled, could lead to debt trap resulting from CB. The findings of this paper will help both retailers and CC institutions to better understand the spending pattern of consumers. Those will also help the policymakers to chalk out ways to the curb indiscriminate issuance of CCs without educating users. Originality/value The findings confirm that IB and CB exist on two ends of a continuum, and not as two distinct theoretical constructs. IB acts as a mediator between CC use and CB as well as between materialism and CB.

Purpose– The compulsive buying (CB)behaviour has become topics of increasing interest to researchers and policy makers, particularly because researches have shown that it can influence consumer behaviour and well-being. However, a clear picture of how this phenomenon arises has proven elusive. Using the adolescents perceived level of stress as an integrative framework, the purpose of this paper is to derive hypotheses from two theoretical perspectives (the stress and CB behaviour), and uses a survey of adolescents (15-18) year in India to test the hypotheses.Design/methodology/approach– The present study is the first to experimentally manipulate important stressors in the lives of adolescents, i.e. familial and non-familial; and measures its impact on CB among a sample of 15-18-year old adolescents. Next, the authors investigate the relationship between CB and post-purchase regret and then whether gender moderates the stress-CB relationship.Findings– The present study finds that adolescents increasingly turn to CB in an attempt to cope with heightened levels of stress due to familial and non-familial factors. Surprisingly, findings reveal that non-familial factors are not a major source of stress among adolescents. Gender was not found to moderate stress-CB relationship. Both boys and girls were found to respond to higher levels of stress with higher incidences of CB. Results suggest that CB behaviour is a common coping strategy for adolescents from both genders. The findings indicate that one’s experiences and circumstances in adolescence are related to their CB behaviour, thus a framework has been used to elucidate them, have important implications for theory and practice.Originality/value– The study makes some inimitable and significant contributions to the literature. It portrays one of few studies to investigate CB during adolescence period – a hard to reach population. Here authors experimentally manipulate stress levels to investigate its impact on CB. The study’s findings in regard to gender’s impact on the stress-CB relationship suggest that CB begins during adolescence period and is a common coping strategy for both boys and girls.

This study aims to analyze the impact of materialism and consumer spending self-control on the use of Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) services, as well as their effects on compulsive buying behavior and risky indebtedness behavior. The ultimate goal of this research is to find ways to reduce the rate of non-performing loans. The study employs a cross-sectional research design with a hypothesis testing approach, where data is collected from individuals who have been actively using BNPL for at least six months. The research findings indicate that materialism has a positive influence on BNPL use, while consumer spending self-control has a negative impact on BNPL use. Additionally, BNPL usage positively affects compulsive buying and risky indebtedness behavior. The study also finds that both materialism and consumer spending self-control are mediated by BNPL use in their influence on compulsive buying. The contributions and managerial implications of this research are significant for companies providing BNPL services. The findings suggest that these companies should develop features and implement usage restriction measures to prevent BNPL users from falling into behaviors that could lead to non-performing loans. Consequently, these measures are expected to improve users' psychological well-being and reduce the growth of non-performing loans on a national scale. This research provides guidance for companies in designing strategies aimed at mitigating the risks associated with uncontrolled BNPL usage, thereby fostering a healthier financial environment for consumers. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis pengaruh materialism dan consumer spending self-control terhadap penggunaan layanan Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL use), serta dampaknya terhadap perilaku compulsive buying dan risky indebtedness behaviour. Tujuan akhir dari penelitian ini adalah untuk menemukan cara menurunkan angka kredit macet. Penelitian ini menggunakan desain penelitian cross-sectional dengan pendekatan hypothesis testing, di mana data dikumpulkan dari individu yang secara aktif menggunakan BNPL selama minimal enam bulan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa materialism memiliki pengaruh positif terhadap BNPL use dan consumer spending self-control berpengaruh negatif terhadap BNPL use. Selain itu, penggunaan BNPL juga memiliki pengaruh positif terhadap compulsive buying dan risky indebtedness behaviour. Penelitian ini juga menemukan bahwa baik materialism maupun consumer spending self-control dimediasi oleh BNPL use dalam pengaruhnya dengan compulsive buying. Kontribusi dan implikasi manajerial dari penelitian ini penting bagi perusahaan penyedia layanan BNPL. Hasil penelitian ini menyarankan agar perusahaan mengembangkan features dan langkah-langkah pembatasan penggunaan BNPL. Tujuannya adalah agar pengguna BNPL tidak terjerumus ke dalam perilaku yang dapat menyebabkan kredit macet. Dengan demikian, langkah-langkah ini diharapkan dapat meningkatkan kondisi psikologis pengguna dan mengurangi pertumbuhan kredit macet secara nasional. Penelitian ini memberikan panduan bagi perusahaan dalam merancang strategi yang bertujuan untuk mengurangi risiko yang terkait dengan perilaku penggunaan BNPL yang tidak terkendali, sehingga dapat menciptakan lingkungan keuangan yang lebih sehat bagi konsumen.

ABSTRACTThis study tests a model to investigate the extent to which drivers of compulsive and impulsive buying behaviors overlap. The model includes personal and cultural antecedents for traits of consumer impulsiveness and compulsiveness and impulsive and compulsive buying behaviors as outcomes. Survey results from 336 Israeli and 595 U.S. consumers indicate that the personality antecedents envy, low self-esteem, and fantasizing generally drive consumer traits of impulsiveness and compulsiveness, though some differences exist between consumers in the U.S. and Israel. However, cultural orientations were found to be insignificant in driving traits of impulsiveness or compulsiveness.