New test identifies shopaholics

Published: Sept. 16, 2008 at 12:43 AM

RICHMOND, Va., Sept. 16 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers say they have developed a new nine-question test to identify shopaholics.

Study authors Nancy M. Ridgway, Monika Kukar-Kinney, both University of Richmond; and Kent B. Monroe of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and University of Richmond developed a new scale for measuring compulsive buying. The study authors believe it does a better job than previous measures of identifying the number of people who engage in compulsive shopping.

"The scale is designed to identify consumers who have a strong urge to buy, regularly spend a lot of money, and have difficulty resisting the impulse to buy," the study authors said in a statement.

In their three studies, the found that compulsive buying was linked to materialism, reduced self-esteem, depression, anxiety and stress. Compulsive shoppers had positive feelings associated with buying, and they also tended to hide purchases, return items, have more family arguments, and possessed more maxed-out credit cards.

The study, published in the Journal of Consumer Research, found that approximately 8.9 percent of the population they studied were compulsive shoppers, compared with 5 percent who were identified with the current clinical screener indicating that a larger group of consumers suffering from problems resulting from compulsive buying than previously thought.

© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Order reprints



Additional News Stories
Your Daily Horoscope
The almanac
NHL: Carolina 3, Tampa Bay 1
NHL: Dallas 5, New Jersey 3
COL BKB: Illinois 94, Presbyterian 48
NHL: Toronto 2, Washington 1 (SO)
NHL: St. Louis 4, New York Islanders 1
fark
Ft. Hood shooter paralyzed, incontinent, reports Journal of the World's Tiniest Violin
If you are receiving monthly insurance checks because you have claimed you are too depressed to...
Radiation leak reported at Three Mile Island nuclear plant, no danger to public reported. No, this...
Fun-loving San Francisco cable car decides to give passengers an impromptu reminder of Newton's...
Photoshop this flagrant foul
From The Article: He confessed saying he had snapped when he saw her shock at finding him masturbating...