COMPULSIVE BUYING - DESCRIPTIVE CHARACTERISTICS AND PSYCHIATRIC COMORBIDITY

Background: Compulsive buying is infrequently described in the psychia tric literature despite suggestions that it may be prevalent. The auth ors investigated the demographics and phenomenology of this syndrome a nd assessed psychiatric comorbidity via interviews of both compulsive buyers and normal buyers. Method: Twenty-four compulsive buyers were c ompared with 24 age- and sex-matched normal buyers using (1) a semistr uctured interview for compulsive buying and impulse control disorders, (2) a modified version of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-I II-R, and (3) scales measuring compulsiveness, depression, and anxiety . Results: The typical compulsive buyer was a 36-year-old female who h ad developed compulsive buying at age 17 1/2 and whose buying had resu lted in adverse psychosocial consequences. Purchases were usually of c lothes, shoes, jewelry, or makeup, which frequently went unused. Compa red with normal buyers, compulsive buyers had a higher lifetime preval ence of anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, and eating disorde rs and were more depressed, anxious, and compulsive. Among compulsive buyers, 16 (66.7%) described buying that resembled obsessive compulsiv e disorder, whereas 23 (95.8%) described buying that resembled an impu lse control disorder. Conclusion: Compulsive buying is a definable cli nical syndrome that can result in significant psychosocial impairment and which displays features of both obsessive compulsive disorder and the impulse control disorders.