Psychotherapy for compulsive buying disorder: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Psychology

Background:

• Compulsive buying disorder involves excessive, uncontrollable buying behaviors with negative consequences.
• Existing literature reviews highlight the need for effective therapeutic strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and evaluate the primary therapeutic approaches for compulsive buying disorder.
• To synthesize findings from existing research on treatment effectiveness.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature review was conducted using Medline/Pubmed, ISI, and PsycInfo databases.
• Full-text articles in English and Portuguese were included without time or study type restrictions.
• 23 articles were selected from an initial 1659 references.

Main Results:

• Case studies and clinical trials indicate treatment effectiveness for compulsive buying.
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) approaches demonstrated the most successful treatment responses.
• Limited research exists on the disorder's etiology and epidemiology.

Conclusions:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy is the most evidence-based treatment for compulsive buying disorder.
• Further research is essential to understand the disorder's causes and test existing treatments in diverse populations, such as Brazil.