Study reveals compulsive shopping severity is similar across genders but buying choices vary

By Vijay Kumar MalesuReviewed by Susha Cheriyedath, M.Sc.Mar 5 2026

A clinical study of treatment-seeking patients reveals that compulsive buying disorder affects men and women in similar ways psychologically, but gender differences emerge in what people buy and how shopping behaviors are expressed.

Study: Exploring differences between women and men in treatment-seeking patients with compulsive buying-shopping disorder. Image Credit: Antonov Maxim / Shutterstock

In a recent study published in the journal Scientific Reports, a group of researchers examined whether women and men seeking treatment for compulsive buying-shopping disorder (CBSD) differ in demographics, symptom severity, psychiatric comorbidities, product preferences, and treatment participation.

Background: Understanding Compulsive Buying-Shopping Disorder

Imagine feeling an irresistible urge to buy things you do not need, even when it is causing financial stress. This experience is common for individuals with CBSD, a condition marked by persistent urges to purchase goods and difficulty controlling shopping behavior. Research shows that about 5% of people may experience compulsive buying behaviors or related symptoms in the general population, which some evidence suggests may be increasing alongside the growth of online retail and digital marketing. CBSD is also linked with mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and impulse control problems. However, whether the disorder affects women and men differently remains unclear, particularly among individuals who actively seek clinical treatment for severe symptoms. More research is needed to clarify gender-related patterns and their clinical implications.

Study Design and Clinical Sample Characteristics

The study was a retrospective cross-sectional study in which the researchers used clinical data collected at two specialized outpatient clinics for behavioral addictions in Germany between 2017 and early 2025. The participants were adults requesting assistance for compulsive buying-shopping problems and diagnosed with CBSD according to proposed diagnostic criteria confirmed during a clinical diagnostic interview conducted by trained clinicians. There were 141 participants (104 females and 37 males), and they completed standardized questionnaires prior to their initial clinical consultation and before receiving any CBSD-related treatment.

Demographic Data and Shopping Preference Assessment

Demographic data was collected, including age, education level, relationship status, and shopping preferences. Respondents were asked about the kind of shopping they enjoyed most (online, offline, or a combination of both) and what types of products they tended to buy the most, including categories such as bags, clothing, cosmetics, jewelry, household goods, food, electronics, books, CDs, and sports equipment.

Psychological Measures and Statistical Analysis

Researchers measured compulsive buying with the Pathological Buying Screener (PBS), anxiety using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7 (GAD-7), and depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Statistical software was utilized in data analysis. Chi-square tests of categorical variables and the Mann-Whitney U test for continuous variables at group levels were used to identify differences between women and men. Cramer's V and Pearson’s r effect size estimates were used to compute effect sizes, and a Bonferroni correction was applied to reduce the likelihood of false-positive findings resulting from multiple statistical comparisons.

Results: Demographic and Clinical Similarities Between Genders

The research determined potential differences between women and men regarding CBSD based on demographics, psychological disorders, and shopping behaviors. In general, the findings revealed that there was no significant difference in most clinical and demographic characteristics between the genders within this treatment-seeking clinical sample, indicating that CBSD tends to present similarly in men and women once individuals enter treatment.

Demographic characteristics were similar for both women and men regarding age, level of education, and relationship status. Both groups consisted of patients with broadly comparable backgrounds and life circumstances, which suggests that clinically significant compulsive buying problems occur across a wide spectrum of demographic groups.

Psychiatric Comorbidities in Compulsive Buying Disorder

The patients had very high rates of comorbid mental health conditions, which are commonly associated with compulsive buying behaviors. The most prevalent condition (depression) was experienced by approximately 73% of patients. Among other identified psychiatric conditions were eating disorders, compulsive hoarding, PTSD, personality disorders, and anxiety disorders.

A greater percentage of women than men were diagnosed with depression and eating disorders. However, following statistical correction for multiple tests using the Bonferroni procedure, there was no statistically significant difference in the diagnosis rate for men compared to women.

Although initial analyses suggested higher rates of depression and eating disorders among women, these differences did not remain statistically significant after correction for multiple testing, indicating that the overall psychiatric presentation of patients with compulsive buying disorder was broadly similar across genders.

Gender Differences in Shopping Behavior and Product Preferences

The differences between genders were seen most clearly in the area of shopping habits. Women reported compulsive buying for clothing, shoes, bags, cosmetics, jewelry, and some household or food-related items, while men focused more frequently on electronic goods. There were significant differences between the two groups for several product categories, with moderate to large effect sizes reported for some of these preferences. These trends largely reflect broader consumer behavior patterns, where consumer behaviour is predominantly affected by sociocultural norms, identity expression, and gender-related social expectations.

Symptom Severity and Treatment Participation

Although there were variations in product preference, other behavioral traits were fairly similar. Both genders shopped under similar conditions, and many reported shopping both online and offline. There were only slight variations in the severity of symptoms, as measured by PBS, with women scoring slightly higher and showing marginally greater symptom severity of compulsive buying behavior. The effect size was small, indicating limited clinical relevance and suggesting that the difference in clinical aspects between genders was minimal.

Men and women enrolled in treatment at similar rates and about two-thirds of both groups took part in cognitive-behavioral group therapy. This lack of statistically significant gender differences in therapy participation shows that once individuals seek help for compulsive shopping, gender does not substantially influence their interest in treatment.

Conclusion: Clinical Implications of Gender Patterns in CBSD

CBSD affects both men and women with largely similar levels of clinical severity, psychiatric burden, and treatment engagement within treatment-seeking populations. Men and women often buy different things when shopping compulsively: women more often purchase clothing, shoes, bags, cosmetics, and jewelry, while men more often purchase electronic devices.

These findings show that gender impacts the way shopping behaviour is expressed, but does not appear to play a major role in determining the overall clinical severity of compulsive buying-shopping disorder. Understanding how these dynamics affect shopping behaviour can help clinicians design more targeted and potentially gender-sensitive treatment and prevention strategies.