[Compulsive buying and psychiatric comorbidity]

Psychother Psychosom Med Psychol. 2009 Aug;59(8):291-9. doi: 10.1055/s-2008-1067438. Epub 2008 Jul 3.
[Article in German]

Abstract

Compulsive buying is an excessive behavior that has begun to receive attention from researchers in recent years. The current study provides an overview of research on compulsive buying and examines the psychiatric co-morbidity in a German female treatment seeking compulsive buying sample in comparison with age and gender-matched normal buying control groups. Thirty women suffering from compulsive buying disorder, 30 community controls, and 30 bariatric surgery candidates were assessed with the German versions of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV diagnoses (SCID). Women with compulsive buying disorder showed significantly higher prevalence rates of affective, anxiety, and eating disorders compared to community controls, and suffered significantly more often from affective and anxiety disorders compared to bariatric surgery candidates. The compulsive buying group presented with the highest rates of personality disorders, most commonly avoidant, depressive, obsessive-compulsive, and borderline personality disorder, and reported the highest prevalence rates of other impulse control disorders, especially for intermittent explosive disorder. The findings suggest an elevated psychiatric co-morbidity in patients with compulsive buying disorder.

Publication types

  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Compulsive Behavior / complications*
  • Compulsive Behavior / diagnosis
  • Compulsive Behavior / psychology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mental Disorders / complications*
  • Mental Disorders / psychology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Personality Disorders / drug therapy
  • Personality Disorders / psychology
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales