Mental imagery in the context of online compulsive buying-shopping disorder: The role of pleasure and relief

Background: The rise of e-commerce has led to an increase in online compulsive buying-shopping disorder (OCBSD), an addictive disorder potentially driven by preoccupations like mental imagery, yet their occurrence and predictors have not been thoroughly explored. Methods: This study investigated the...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Annika Brandtner, Matthias Brand, Astrid Müller
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:Addictive Behaviors Reports
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352853225000045
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Summary:Background: The rise of e-commerce has led to an increase in online compulsive buying-shopping disorder (OCBSD), an addictive disorder potentially driven by preoccupations like mental imagery, yet their occurrence and predictors have not been thoroughly explored. Methods: This study investigated the expression of and associations with mental imagery in women with pathological (n = 56) or non-problematic buying-shopping (n = 56) applying hierarchical regression analyses. Participants were classified based on a structured diagnostic interview, completed self-report questionnaires assessing experiences of gratification and compensation during shopping, and a 14-day end-of-day ambulatory assessment, evaluating mental imagery intensity. Results: Women with pathological buying-shopping reported significantly more intense shopping-specific mental imagery compared to women with non-problematic buying-shopping. Mental imagery was significantly predicted only by compensatory experiences in the pathological buying-shopping group with medium effect sizes. Discussion: The findings suggest that in OCBSD, mental images likely arise from to the anticipated effects of relief, possibly indicating a maladaptive coping strategy.
ISSN:2352-8532