Personal Projects’ Appraisals and Compulsive Buying among University Students: Evidence from Galicia, Spain

Abstract

The appraisal of goal-related constructs, generally, and of personal projects (PP) in particular, is one of the most solid research paths with regard to subjective well-being and health. In the last few years, the appraisal of PP has been linked to such problems as excessive alcohol and marijuana use, but no study has been conducted in the field of compulsive buying (CB). In this study, using Little’s personal-projects-analysis (PPA) methodology, the differences in university students were analyzed in both broad domains (meaning, structure, community, efficacy, and stress) and specific appraisal dimensions in groups with low (n = 293), moderate (n = 191), and high (n = 41) compulsive-buying propensities. The results confirm that the high-propensity group presented the highest significant levels in the domain of stress and the lowest in efficacy, meaning, and structure. As to appraisal dimensions, the group with a high propensity to CB attained statistically lower appraisals in the dimensions of importance, enjoyment, self-identity, absorption, control, time adequacy, progress, and outcome of their projects; the appraisal of the level of stress, difficulty, and conflict increased as the level of involvement in CB increased. These findings have major implications for the design of prevention and intervention programs for this behavioral problem.

Big Five Personality Traits and Compulsive Buying: The Mediating Role of Self-Esteem

“…The total score (ranging from 16-64) was used as an index of CB tendency. GABS showed good psychometric properties in previous research with samples of young Spanish participants [21,67]. Cronbach's alpha for this sample was 0.82.…”

“…Additionally, from the analysis of personal goals, the lack of confidence of compulsive buyers in their own capacity to attain intrinsic self-acceptance goals is confirmed [94], but it is also true that intrinsic self-acceptance and affiliation goals as opposed to extrinsic goals of image and popularity are protective factors against CB [19]. The low expectations of success and scarce progress in the attainment of personal projects in university students who are vulnerable to CB [67] are in line with the findings in this study. It could therefore be argued that those scoring low on a variety of conscientiousness facets (such as organization, perseverance, planning control, and perception of efficacy) also present a low self-worth which, in some cases, they seek to restore through CB.…”

Entrepreneurial Resilience: A Case Study on University Students

“…Thus, the participants construct their personal projects hierarchically. Studies on Spanish university students support this hierarchical conception of personal projects in emerging adulthood [ 126 ]. In this sense, it is common for all the participants to establish a hierarchy, where second-order projects, which guide first-order projects, are defined as being directed towards personal development, growth or well-being.…”

What Do We Know When We Know a Compulsive Buying Person? Looking at Now and Ahead

“…Similarly, and in line with the growing interest that the so-called personalized goals [ 88 ] have aroused in the last few decades, the appraisal of personal projects, i.e., the extended sets of personally salient actions in contexts that range from the daily affairs to the self-defining passions of the lifetime [ 89 ], has been the object of analysis in a recent study [ 90 ]. The results obtained allow us to conclude that it is university students with high vulnerability to compulsive buying who appraise their personal projects as more stressing and less significant and structured, and, besides, they see themselves as less efficient to cope with them.…”