Abstract

The present study examined the mediating effect of emotional dysregulation on the relationship between affect intensity and compulsive purchasing, and the moderating effect of impulsivity on the influence of emotional dysregulation on compulsive purchasing. The Affect Intensity Measure, Compulsive Purchase Scale, Difficulties in Emotional Regulation Scale and Impulsivity Scale were administered to 426 adults over the age of 18, and data were collected. Based on the data collected, the main findings of this study, which tested the mediating effect of emotional dysregulation and the moderated mediating effect of impulsivity on the relationship between affect intensity and compulsive purchasing behavior, are as follows. First, there were significant correlations between affect intensity, compulsive purchasing behavior, emotional dysregulation, and impulsivity. Second, affect intensity had a positive effect on emotional dysregulation, and emotional dysregulation partially mediated the relationship between affect intensity and compulsive purchasing behavior. Third, the moderated mediation test revealed that affect intensity mediated the pathway through which emotional dysregulation affected compulsive purchasing, and the relationship between emotional dysregulation and compulsive purchasing behavior was moderated by impulsivity, confirming the moderated mediation effect. Based on these findings, the implications and limitations of this study and suggestions for future research are discussed.