Volume 28, Issue 12 (3-2022)
RJMS 2022, 28(12): 127-137 |
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Research code: 18605/941
Ethics code: IR.LUMS.REC.1398.047
Clinical trials code: کارآزمایی انجام نشده است
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zarei S. The Mediating Role of Self-Differentiation in the Relationship between Family Emotional Climate and Compulsive Buying in Female University Students. RJMS 2022; 28 (12) :127-137
URL: http://rjms.iums.ac.ir/article-1-6314-en.html
URL: http://rjms.iums.ac.ir/article-1-6314-en.html
Assistant Professor in Counseling, Psychology Department, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran , salman_zarei@yahoo.com
Abstract: (1209 Views)
Background & Aims: For some people and in certain situations, shopping may be unplanned, sudden, and accompanied by a strong urge to feel pleasure or excitement. This type of repetitive, chronic and extreme buying behavior is known as compulsive buying. A review of the research literature shows that compulsive buyers experience adverse consequences such as feelings of guilt and remorse, academic dysfunction, financial problems, family conflicts, negative parenting, eating and sleeping disorders, and even suicide attempts. Therefore, it is important to identify and characterize the factors that influence compulsive buying. A substantial body of literature has established the links between family emotional climate and subsequent compulsive buying. Nevertheless, the perception of family climate does not always result in compulsive in buying as the development of abnormal behaviors may involve other intermediary mechanisms jointly responsible for such a relationship. Based on research literature some variables including self-differentiation have mediated relations between family emotional climate and compulsive buying. Altogether, as mentioned before compulsive buying may pose a number of deleterious outcomes for female individuals. Therefore, focus on female university students when studying compulsive buying is highly pertinent. Although an enormous amount of research is in line with the notion that family emotional climate could predict university students’ compulsive buying, studies that have tested the mediating role of self-differentiation are minimal. Above all, the current study aimed to investigate the mediating role of self-differentiation in the relationship between family emotional climate and compulsive buying.
Methods: This cross-sectional and correlational study was conducted on B.A and M.A students of Islamic Azad University, Tehran South Branch in 2019, in Iran. A total of 239 female university student from there faculties (Human Sciences Faculty, Psychology and Education Faculty, Law and Political Sciences Faculty) selected by multistage cluster sampling strategy. There is no consensus on the sample size for path analysis. However, many researchers recommended 200 cases as the minimum sample. The inclusion criterion was the age range of 18 to 45 years old and only exclusion criterion was having psychological problems background (based on a preliminary interview and participants’ self- report). About the demographic characteristics of participants, it is noted that age averaged 29.73 years (SD = 5.67). Before completing the survey, all participants gave their written informed consent, noting that they were aware that the investigation was anonymous and confidential and that participants had the right to withdraw at any time without explanation. The Differentiation of Self Inventory (DSI), Edwards Compulsive Buying Scale (ECBS), and Family Emotional Climate Scale (FECS) were used to collect the data. The instruments were distributed by the researcher and collected in the regular classrooms. After collecting the data means, standard deviations, and Pearson correlations for the levels of family emotional climate, self-differentiation and compulsive buying, together were conducted using SPSS 23.0. Path analysis was conducted to examine the mediating role of self-differentiation using AMOS 21.0. It is note that, 12 participants missed more than 50% of items on a given scale and were excluded from subsequent analyses.
Results: The results of Pearson correlation showed that the relationship between family emotional climate with self-differentiation (r= 0.62) was positive, the relationship between family emotional climate (r= -0.34), and self-differentiation (r= -0.51) with compulsive buying were negative that all relationship were significantly at P<0.01 level. Therefore, based on the significance relationship between the variables, the necessary condition for investigating the mediating role of self-differentiation is fulfilled. Prior to conducting path analysis, it was ensured that its basic assumptions, such as adequacy of the sample size, data distribution normality, and multi-collinearity, were established. The results showed that the research model of the relationship between family emotional climate mediated via self-differentiation had a good fit based on fitness indices. The most commonly used fitness index in model analysis is CMIN/DF, that with a value lesser than 3 in the current research model shows a good fit. The goodness of fit index (GFI), the normalized fit index (NFI), and the comparative fit index (CFI) with Values higher than 0.90 indicates an acceptable fit to the current data. Also, the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) with a Value between 0.05 and 0.10 shows an acceptable fit of the model. Also, the parameters of the direct and indirect relationship measurement in the research model by path analysis showed that the direct effect of family emotional climate on self-differentiation (β= 0.31, P<0.001) were positive and significant. Moreover, the direct effect of family emotional climate (β= -0.15, P<0.01), and self-differentiation (β= -0.42, P<0.001) on compulsive buying were negative and significant. Finally, results showed that the mediating role of self-differentiation (β= -0.13, P<0.01) in the relationship between family emotional climate and compulsive buying was significant.
Conclusion: Based on the findings family emotional climate and self-differentiation were important factors affecting female university students’ compulsive buying. A possible explanation is that inappropriate family emotional climate can reduce adolescents’ self-differentiation, and as a result, they are more vulnerable to the challenges and stressors of their life, therefore female university students try to cope with their negative conditions by excessive buying as a short-term remedy to relieve stress. In case they are relieved from buying, they are more likely to regard the excessive buying a beneficial coping strategy that contributes to potential dependence and automatic activation. The cross-sectional design, which is not the best way to evaluate causal relations, limits the results. Future longitudinal research is needed to further ascertain the particular directions and relationships among these variables. Limitation aside, the present study provided some practical implications. The findings of this study could help to guide targeted preventions and interventions for compulsive buying in female university students. Thus, mental health practitioners can educate students about the potential harms of low self-differentiation and guide them to set self- reinforcing goals to monitor their frequency and duration of compulsive buying.
Methods: This cross-sectional and correlational study was conducted on B.A and M.A students of Islamic Azad University, Tehran South Branch in 2019, in Iran. A total of 239 female university student from there faculties (Human Sciences Faculty, Psychology and Education Faculty, Law and Political Sciences Faculty) selected by multistage cluster sampling strategy. There is no consensus on the sample size for path analysis. However, many researchers recommended 200 cases as the minimum sample. The inclusion criterion was the age range of 18 to 45 years old and only exclusion criterion was having psychological problems background (based on a preliminary interview and participants’ self- report). About the demographic characteristics of participants, it is noted that age averaged 29.73 years (SD = 5.67). Before completing the survey, all participants gave their written informed consent, noting that they were aware that the investigation was anonymous and confidential and that participants had the right to withdraw at any time without explanation. The Differentiation of Self Inventory (DSI), Edwards Compulsive Buying Scale (ECBS), and Family Emotional Climate Scale (FECS) were used to collect the data. The instruments were distributed by the researcher and collected in the regular classrooms. After collecting the data means, standard deviations, and Pearson correlations for the levels of family emotional climate, self-differentiation and compulsive buying, together were conducted using SPSS 23.0. Path analysis was conducted to examine the mediating role of self-differentiation using AMOS 21.0. It is note that, 12 participants missed more than 50% of items on a given scale and were excluded from subsequent analyses.
Results: The results of Pearson correlation showed that the relationship between family emotional climate with self-differentiation (r= 0.62) was positive, the relationship between family emotional climate (r= -0.34), and self-differentiation (r= -0.51) with compulsive buying were negative that all relationship were significantly at P<0.01 level. Therefore, based on the significance relationship between the variables, the necessary condition for investigating the mediating role of self-differentiation is fulfilled. Prior to conducting path analysis, it was ensured that its basic assumptions, such as adequacy of the sample size, data distribution normality, and multi-collinearity, were established. The results showed that the research model of the relationship between family emotional climate mediated via self-differentiation had a good fit based on fitness indices. The most commonly used fitness index in model analysis is CMIN/DF, that with a value lesser than 3 in the current research model shows a good fit. The goodness of fit index (GFI), the normalized fit index (NFI), and the comparative fit index (CFI) with Values higher than 0.90 indicates an acceptable fit to the current data. Also, the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) with a Value between 0.05 and 0.10 shows an acceptable fit of the model. Also, the parameters of the direct and indirect relationship measurement in the research model by path analysis showed that the direct effect of family emotional climate on self-differentiation (β= 0.31, P<0.001) were positive and significant. Moreover, the direct effect of family emotional climate (β= -0.15, P<0.01), and self-differentiation (β= -0.42, P<0.001) on compulsive buying were negative and significant. Finally, results showed that the mediating role of self-differentiation (β= -0.13, P<0.01) in the relationship between family emotional climate and compulsive buying was significant.
Conclusion: Based on the findings family emotional climate and self-differentiation were important factors affecting female university students’ compulsive buying. A possible explanation is that inappropriate family emotional climate can reduce adolescents’ self-differentiation, and as a result, they are more vulnerable to the challenges and stressors of their life, therefore female university students try to cope with their negative conditions by excessive buying as a short-term remedy to relieve stress. In case they are relieved from buying, they are more likely to regard the excessive buying a beneficial coping strategy that contributes to potential dependence and automatic activation. The cross-sectional design, which is not the best way to evaluate causal relations, limits the results. Future longitudinal research is needed to further ascertain the particular directions and relationships among these variables. Limitation aside, the present study provided some practical implications. The findings of this study could help to guide targeted preventions and interventions for compulsive buying in female university students. Thus, mental health practitioners can educate students about the potential harms of low self-differentiation and guide them to set self- reinforcing goals to monitor their frequency and duration of compulsive buying.
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Clinical Psychiatry
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