Emotional reactivity and self-regulation in relation to compulsive buying

Abstract

Compulsive buying has received increased research attention in the last decade. This study explores the relationship between compulsive buying and reactive and regulative temperament while controlling for depression and materialism. One hundred and thirty female psychology students filled out the Compulsive Buying Scale, the Behavioral Inhibition/Activation Scales, and the Effortful Control Scale/Self Control Scale, the depression scale of the Patient Health Questionnaire and the Materialistic Values Scale. Compulsive buying was explained by high materialism, high levels of behavioral activation, and low levels of effortful control, even after controlling for depressive symptoms. Given our results, future work is needed to examine behavioral control strategies in the treatment of compulsive buying.