Materialism and Compulsive Buying: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

The aim of the present study was to clarify the relationship between materialism and compulsive buying (CB). A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines, searching for contribution in several scientific databases up to March 2024. Fifty-five studies met the inclusion criteria. The result revealed a significant positive correlation between CB and all dimensions of materialism. In some cases, variations depending on the measurement scale were observed with studies employing the Compulsive Buying Measurement Scale (CBMS) reporting stronger correlations. In contrast, age and gender were not found to be statistically significant moderators. The moderation effect observed may be due to the specific focus of the CBMS on CB in general populations. Further research may extend the current knowledge, in particular longitudinal studies and/or greater focus on older adults.