Prevalence study of compulsive buying in a sample with low individual monthly income.

INTRODUCTION Compulsive buying can be characterized as an almost irresistible impulse to acquire various items. This is a current issue and the prevalence rate in the global population is around 5 to 8%. Some surveys indicate that the problem is growing in young and low-income populations. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the prevalence of compulsive buying among people with low personal monthly incomes and analyze relationships with socio-demographic data. METHODS The Compulsive Buying Scale was administered to screen for compulsive buying and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was used to assess anxiety and depression in a sample of 56 participants. Pearson coefficients were used to test for correlations. RESULTS The results indicated that 44.6% presented an average family income equal to or greater than 2.76 minimum wages. It is possible that compulsive buying is not linked to the purchasing power since it was found in a low-income population. CONCLUSION Despite the small sample, the results of this study are important for understanding the problem in question.