Evaluating diagnostic criteria for compulsive buying-shopping disorder

Although compulsive buying-shopping disorder (CBSD) has over 100 years of clinical history, its nosology remains a topic of debate. In 2021, Müller and colleagues published a set of diagnostic criteria for the disorder based on a Delphi consensus study. The present study evaluated these criteria among 51 participants who reported a lived experience of CBSD and examined whether their experiences aligned with the components model of addiction.

Participants were interviewed using a semistructured interview. Transcripts were analyzed using directed content analysis.

Most participants reported a persistent and excessive pattern of buying/shopping, diminished control over buying/shopping, buying/shopping for mood modification, experiencing clinically significant distress and impairment, and continuation despite negative consequences. We recommend these symptoms be considered essential features of CBSD, along with ruling out other explanations for the buying/shopping behavior. Intrusive thoughts and preoccupation with buying/shopping, tolerance, and withdrawal were less common, and we recommend these be considered additional, but not required, features of CBSD.

Given these findings and evidence that tolerance and withdrawal are not necessary or sufficient components of addiction, we recommend that CBSD be considered a behavioral addiction. Future research should use these empirically informed criteria to develop and validate a structured diagnostic interview to be used in field studies to formally recognize CBSD as a mental disorder. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).