Compulsive buying and depressive symptoms among female citizens of the United Arab Emirates

•Compulsive buying scores amongst Emirati females were relatively high.•Forty four percent of participants scored above the compulsive buying cut-off.•Compulsive buying was associated with elevated levels of depressive symptomatology.

Compulsive buying is particularly relevant in nations with high levels of consumer spending. Most previous studies have focused on European and North America populations. This study explores compulsive buying amongst citizens of the United Arab Emirates, an Arab nation with high retail outlet density, and high levels of consumer spending. Female college students (N=100) completed an English/Arabic version of the compulsive buying scale along with a measure of depression. Rates of compulsive buying were higher than those reported in any previously published study. Furthermore, in line with previous findings from other nations, compulsive buying was associated with elevated depressive symptomatology.