Financial literacy and psychological vulnerability to financial exploitation: the roles of financial anxiety, self-confidence, and behavior

Financial exploitation constitutes a significant psychological vulnerability shaped by cognitive resources, emotional regulation, and financial decision-making behaviors. While financial literacy is widely recognized as a protective factor, limited empirical evidence disentangles the distinct psychological roles of financial knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors in reducing vulnerability to financial exploitation. This cross-sectional study analyzed survey data from 565 adults in Türkiye. Financial literacy was conceptualized as a multidimensional construct comprising financial knowledge, financial attitude, and financial behavior. Vulnerability to financial exploitation was assessed through three psychosocial indicators: self-confidence, financial anxiety, and financial satisfaction. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to examine the relationships among cognitive, behavioral, and emotional components. Financial knowledge was significantly associated with lower financial anxiety and higher financial satisfaction but showed no direct effect on self-confidence. Financial behavior emerged as the most robust protective factor, significantly enhancing self-confidence and financial satisfaction while substantially reducing financial anxiety. Financial attitude was positively related to financial satisfaction but did not significantly influence anxiety or self-confidence. Financial anxiety demonstrated a strong negative association with both self-confidence and financial satisfaction. Financial exploitation vulnerability is driven by interconnected psychological mechanisms rather than cognitive factors alone. The findings highlight the central role of behavior-based financial competencies and emotional regulation in strengthening financial resilience. Interventions aimed at preventing financial exploitation should prioritize behavioral skill development and psychological risk screening alongside traditional financial education approaches.