Bergen Shopping Addiction Scale (BSAS)

Introduction
The Bergen Shopping Addiction Scale (BSAS) is an assessment tool developed to evaluate the behaviors associated with compulsive buying and the possibility of shopping addiction. It comprises a set of statements to which respondents are asked to gauge their agreement or disagreement, aiming to illuminate the patterns and frequencies of shopping behavior that may suggest an addiction. By quantifying these behaviors, the BSAS provides a structured approach to understanding how shopping habits might deviate from the norm and potentially impact an individual's life.

Designed for both self-assessment and professional use, the BSAS offers insight into the psychological drivers behind shopping habits. This scale is particularly useful for therapists, counselors, and researchers interested in the dynamics of consumer behavior and addiction. For individuals, it can serve as a reflective tool to examine their own shopping behaviors, offering a starting point for recognizing when such activities may become problematic. For professionals, it offers a methodical way to identify those who may benefit from further psychological support or interventions tailored to compulsive shopping behaviors.

In applying the BSAS, the goal is not only to identify excessive shopping tendencies but also to understand the broader implications of such behavior on personal, financial, and social well-being. It encourages a deeper exploration into the motivations behind compulsive buying, such as emotional regulation or identity seeking, and how these motivations contribute to the development of addictive patterns. The scale's structured format allows for consistent application and comparison across different populations, making it a valuable instrument in the broader field of psychological assessment and intervention for shopping addiction.

Instructions
For each item, tick the response alternative (ranging from “completely disagree” to “completely agree”) that best describes you. The statements relate to your thoughts, feelings and actions in the last 12 months.

  Completely Disagree Disagree Neither Disagree Nor Agree Agree Completely Agree
1. Shopping/buying is the most important thing in my life.
2. I think about shopping/buying things all the time.
3. I spend a lot of time thinking of or planning shopping/buying.
4. Thoughts about shopping/buying keep popping in my head.
5. I shop in order to feel better.
6. I shop/buy things in order to change my mood.
7. I shop/buy things in order to forget about personal problems.
8. I shop/buy things in order to reduce feelings of guilt, anxiety, helplessness, loneliness, and/or depression.
9. I shop/buy so much that it negatively affects my daily obligations (e.g., school and work).
10. I give less priority to hobbies, leisure activities, job/studies, or exercise because of shopping/buying.
11. I have ignored love partner, family, and friends because of shopping/buying.
12. I often end up in arguments with other because of shopping/buying.
13. I feel an increasing inclination to shop/buy things.
14. I shop/buy much more than I had intended/planned.
15. I feel I have to shop/buy more and more to obtain the same satisfaction as before.
16. I spend more and more time shopping/buying.
17. I have tried to cut down on shopping/buying without success.
18. I have been told by others to reduce shopping/buying without listening to them.
19. I have decided to shop/buy less, but have not been able to do so.
20. I have managed to limit shopping/buying for periods, and the experienced relapse.
21. I become stressed if obstructed from shopping/buying things.
22. I become sour and grumpy if I for some reasons cannot shop/buy things when I feel like it.
23. I feel bad if I for some reason are prevented from shopping/buying things.
24. I there has been a while since I last shopped I feel a strong urge to shop/buy things.
25. I shop/buy so much that it has caused economic problems.
26. I shop/buy so much that it has impaired my well-being.
27. I have worried so much about my shopping that it sometimes has made me sleepless.
28. I have been bothered with poor conscience because of shopping/buying.
Sources
  1. CS Andreassen, MD Griffiths, S Pallesen, RM Bilder, T Torsheim, E Aboujaoude. The Bergen Shopping Addiction Scale: reliability and validity of a brief screening test. 17(6): Front Psychol 1374 ().