Psychosocial functioning of individuals at risk of developing compulsive buying disorder

Introduction Personality-related correlates are significant factors associated with compulsive buying. The Big Five personality traits can be a risk factor or a protective factor for addiction. Objectives This study aimed to establish the connection between depressiveness, workaholism, eating disorders, and personality traits, according to the five-point model called the Big Five, in women with a risk of compulsive buying disorder. Methods The study was conducted on 556 Polish women from the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. The study employed the diagnostic survey method using a questionnaire technique including Personality Inventory NEO-FFI, the Buying Behaviour Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory I-II, the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire, and a self-questionnaire. Results The analysis revealed the risk of compulsive buying being accompanied by a higher median score for depressiveness, neuroticism, Cognitive Restraint of Eating, Uncontrolled Eating, and a risk of workaholism. A lower score in the respondents in the compulsive buying risk group was observed in an assessment of agreeableness and conscientiousness. Work addiction was exhibited by 26% of people with compulsive buying disorder vs. 12% of people without it. Table 1. Descriptive statistics for selected scales with respect to the risk of the compulsive buying disorder. Selected Scales Total (n = 556) Norm (n = 483) Group 1 Risk of Compulsive Buying (n = 73) Group 2 p BDI I-II Me (Q1–Q3) 4.5 (1.0–10.0) 4.0 (1.0–9.0) 8.0 (1.0–15.0) 0.021 Neuroticism acc. to NEO-FFI, Me (Q1–Q3) 21.0 (15.0–28.0) 21.0 (15.0–28.0) 24.0 (20.0–32.0) 0.003 Openness to experience acc. to NEO-FFI, Me (Q1–Q3) 26.0 (23.0–31.0) 26.0 (23.0 -31.0) 26.0 (23.0–30.0) 0.774 Agreeableness acc. to NEO-FFI, Me (Q1–Q3) 30.0 (27.0–34.0) 31.0 (27.0 -34.0) 27.0 (24.0–32.0) <0.001 Conscientiousness acc. to NEO-FFI, Me (Q1–Q3) 34.0 (29.0–38.0) 34 (30.0–39.0) 30.0 (25.0–38.0) 0.028 Cognitive Restraint of Eating acc. to TFEQ-13, Me (Q1–Q3) 6.0 (4.0–8.0) 6.0 (4.0–8.0) 7.0 (5.0 -9.0) 0.004 Uncontrolled Eating acc. to TFEQ-13, Me (Q1–Q3) 5.5 (4.0–7.0) 5.0 (4.0–7.0) 7.0 (5.0 -8.0) 0.019 WART, Me (Q1–Q3) 53.0 (45.0–62.0) 51.0 (44.0–61.0) 60.0 (51.0–66.0) <0.001 Addiction to work acc. to WART, n (%) 79 60 (12.42%) 19 (26.03%) <0.001 BDI I-II—Beck Depression Inventory, NEO-FFI—Personality Inventory NEO-FFI, TFEQ-13—Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire, WART—Work Addiction Risk Test, Me—median, Q1—quartile first, Q3—quartile third, n—number of patients, p —statistic Conclusions This study found that a high risk of compulsive buying disorder is accompanied by a high risk of moderate depressiveness, neuroticism, Cognitive Restraint of Eating, Uncontrolled Eating, and workaholism. It also confirmed the view that compulsive buying is a behavioural addiction which is a consequence of ineffective coping and being dissatisfied with one’s social life. Disclosure of Interest None Declared