Stress and Spending Dynamics: An Economically Framed Study of Emotional Expenditures in Youth
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47067/ramss.v8i4.576Keywords:
Youth Stress, Emotional Expenditures, Impulsive Spending, Digital Influence, Social Comparison, Regression Analysis, Consumer BehaviourAbstract
It is a quantitative research study that explores the connection between psychological stress, emotional spending, and digital impacts on the youth spending behaviour based on the data gathered on 291 respondents (15-25 years old). Using a structured questionnaire and stratified random sampling, the study investigated the role of academic pressure, social comparison, family expectations, and digital engagement in impulsive and emotional spending. The descriptive statistics demonstrated that the degree of digital influence stresses (M = 3.91) and the significant impulsive spending tendencies (M = 3.62) were high. Correlation analysis indicated that there were positive significant relationships between all stressors and impulsive spending with the strongest relationship between digital influence stress (r =.55, p <.01). A multiple regression analysis also revealed that the level of stress (b = .49), relief after spending (b =.36), and using spending as a coping strategy (b =.32) were also significant predictors of frequency of emotional spending and accounted 56% of the variance in emotional spending (R2 = .56, p =.001). The results of ANOVA established that there were significant differences in impulsive digital spending in the levels of digital influence with the youth with high levels of digital influence exhibiting the highest level of impulsive digital spending (F = 19.37, p < .001). Altogether, the results indicate that psychological stressors and fortified by digital environment, emotional spending among young people can be greatly influenced by specific financial education and emotional control training and ethical digital design, which will help youth make healthier consumer choices.
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