Emotional difficulties mediate the impact of adverse childhood experiences on compulsive buying-shopping problems

Compulsive buying-shopping is recognised as a significant mental health concern, yet its aetiology is largely understudied. A known risk factor for compulsive buying-shopping is adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). ACEs are also associated with greater problems regulating emotions, as well as depression and anxiety. These factors are also known to be associated with compulsive buying-shopping problems. In this study, we aimed to test a serial mediation model in which ACEs were associated with compulsive buying-shopping problems via emotion dysregulation, and then emotional psychopathology (depression, anxiety).

We tested this model cross-sectionally in two large samples (N = 1,868 & 4,742) to evaluate the robustness of the model. Both samples completed self-report measures of ACEs, emotional dysregulation, compulsive buying, depression, and anxiety symptoms.

We found support for indirect effects, and all results were consistent for both samples. ACEs predicted greater emotion dysregulation, which then predicted greater depression and anxiety. In turn, anxiety (but not depression) predicted compulsive buying symptoms.

Emotion dysregulation and anxiety consistently mediated the relationship between ACEs and compulsive buying symptoms. Both emotion dysregulation and anxiety represent malleable targets in clinical interventions for compulsive buying-shopping problems. Our findings also suggest that anxiety may be a stronger predictor of compulsive buying compared to depression, which may be an important avenue for future researchers to investigate.