Objective
Two studies investigated childhood maltreatment, alexithymia—the inability to identify one's mood—and negative mood regulation expectancies (NMRE)—confidence that one can alleviate one's ...negative moods—as predictors of compulsive buying (CB).
Method
Participants were recruited from internet CB forums and undergraduate psychology classes. Online, they completed questionnaires and a behavioral task that assessed impulsive spending.
Results
In Study 1 (N = 646), analyses indicated that NMRE, alexithymia, and childhood maltreatment were significant independent predictors of CB. For Study 2, a subset of participants from the Study 1 pool (N = 295) who met the criterion for clinical levels of CB were selected, based on their self‐report. Analyses revealed that NMRE buffered the effect of maltreatment: among participants with high NMRE—higher levels of maltreatment were associated with minimal increases in CB and impulsive spending behavior.
Conclusion
Being confident that one can control one's unpleasant moods was a protective factor from the maladaptive consequences of childhood maltreatment. Increasing NMRE early in psychotherapy for CB may result in clients' using more adaptive coping strategies.
This study investigated the influence of a history of childhood maltreatment, alexithymia—the inability to identify one’s mood—and negative mood regulation expectancies (NMRE)—an individual's belief ...that she or he can alleviate one’s negative moods—as predictors of compulsive buying (CB). I also examined NMRE as a moderator of the relationship between childhood maltreatment and CB. The participants were 646 adults from internet CB forums and introductory psychology classes. Compared to the general population, participants reported more severe childhood maltreatment, alexithymia, and CB, and lower NMRE. Correlational analyses showed higher CB to be associated with higher childhood abuse and alexithymia, and lower NMRE. Regression analyses showed that NMRE, alexithymia, and childhood maltreatment were significant independent predictors of CB, and that NMRE moderated the relationship between maltreatment and CB. NMRE buffered the effect of childhood abuse, as those with higher NMRE did not report more CB behaviors even when reporting more childhood maltreatment. Overall, individuals who experienced more childhood abuse and reported less ability to identify their moods are more likely to use CB as a maladaptive coping mechanism. However, believing one could control one’s unpleasant moods, stronger NMRE, represent a protective factor for individuals who were mistreated as children.
