Longitudinal Changes in Gambling, Buying and Materialism in Adolescents: A Population-Based Study.

Ana Estévez,Hibai López-González,Neus Solé-Morata,Roser Granero,Paula Jauregui,Susana Jiménez-Murcia,Conchi Riquelme-Ortiz,Gemma Mestre-Bach,Laura Macia,Cristina Vintró-Alcaraz,Iciar Iruarrizaga,Janire Momeñe,Fernando Fernández-Aranda,Lucero Munguía

doi:10.3390/ijerph18062811

Abstract

Gambling disorder, gambling-related cognitive biases, compulsive buying, and materialistic values lead to impaired functioning in important areas of life. The aims of the present longitudinal study are (1) to evaluate the change produced after one year in those mentioned variables and (2) to examine the gender role in these changes and to analyze the mediational mechanisms among the variables of the study. The sample was composed of 182 adolescents (103 females and 79 males) from secondary education Spanish institutions who completed self-administered questionnaires. Structural equation modeling has been used to explore associations between the different variables. Our results show significant decreases in compulsive buying, materialism, and cognitive biases related to gambling after one year. Gambling disorder severity was directly related to cognitive distortions of gambling and being a man. Compulsive buying was associated with older age and the female gender. Materialism was associated with compulsive buying and the male gender. In conclusion, gambling disorder, gambling-related cognitive biases, compulsive buying, and materialistic values change over time in different ways, according to gender. The understanding of gambling disorder and compulsive buying in adolescents could potentially lead to early prevention and treatment programs for the specific needs of gender and age.

Highlights

The results obtained showed significant decreases in (1) cognitive biases related to gambling; (2) compulsive buying; (3) materialism
Concerning the decrease in compulsive buying and materialistic values, a possible explanation could be related to the life stage of the participants, characterized by an identitybuilding process in which personal values play an important role, they are not yet consolidated and may suffer modifications [59]
Previous studies have pointed out that materialistic values predict compulsive buying [72], the present study has proven how materialism and compulsive buying show a two-way association

Summary

Introduction

1.1. Compulsive BuyingCompulsive buying is characterized by excessive and irrepressible shopping and spending behavior that leads to loss of control and distress or impaired functioning [1,2].As it shares many characteristics with other addictions [3], some authors refer to it as a 4.0/).Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 2811. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18062811 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph

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Conclusion