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This self-assessment Bergen Shopping Addiction Scale (BSAS) , was originally developed by Andreassen C. S., Griffiths M. D., Pallesen S., Bilder R. M., Torsheim T., and Aboujaoude E. . TraitProfiler provides an interactive digital version for educational, informational, and self-exploration purposes only.

Bergen Shopping Addiction Scale (BSAS)

Background

The Bergen Shopping Addiction Scale (BSAS) is a psychological questionnaire used to measure unhealthy shopping and buying habits.

The assessment looks at how often a person thinks about shopping, shops to feel better, loses control over buying, or experiences problems because of shopping habits.

The BSAS is commonly used in behavioral health research and addiction studies because it provides a reliable way to understand compulsive shopping behavior.

Higher scores may suggest emotional buying, strong shopping urges, poor control over spending, or problems in relationships, work, or daily life caused by shopping.

Procedure

You will be presented with 28 statements about shopping and buying behavior.

Read each statement carefully and choose the response that best matches your usual thoughts, feelings, and behavior.

Please answer honestly based on your real shopping experiences and habits.

Participation

This assessment is intended for adults and older adolescents who are able to understand and answer questions about their shopping behavior and emotions.

Participation is voluntary. Responses are anonymous and intended for educational, self-awareness, and research-related purposes only.

Higher scores may reflect compulsive shopping behavior, emotional dependence on shopping, difficulty controlling purchases, or shopping-related problems in daily life.

Bergen Shopping Addiction Scale (BSAS) Questionnaire

Instructions & Terms

Below is the Bergen Shopping Addiction Scale (BSAS), a digitally adapted 28- items self-assessment questionnaire. This assessment does not provide a clinical diagnosis, medical determination, or substitute for professional psychological evaluation.

Question 1 of 28

Shopping/buying is the most important thing in my life.


Question 2 of 28

I think about shopping/buying things all the time.


Question 3 of 28

I spend a lot of time thinking about or planning shopping/buying.


Question 4 of 28

Thoughts about shopping/buying keep coming into my mind.


Question 5 of 28

I shop in order to feel better.


Question 6 of 28

I shop/buy things to change my mood.


Question 7 of 28

I shop/buy things to forget personal problems.


Question 8 of 28

I shop/buy things to reduce feelings like guilt, stress, loneliness, or sadness.


Question 9 of 28

I shop/buy so much that it affects my daily responsibilities.


Question 10 of 28

I spend less time on hobbies, studies, work, or exercise because of shopping/buying.


Question 11 of 28

I have ignored my partner, family, or friends because of shopping/buying.


Question 12 of 28

I often argue with others because of shopping/buying.


Question 13 of 28

I feel a growing urge to shop/buy things.


Question 14 of 28

I shop/buy much more than I planned.


Question 15 of 28

I feel I need to shop/buy more to get the same satisfaction as before.


Question 16 of 28

I spend more and more time shopping/buying.


Question 17 of 28

I have tried to reduce shopping/buying without success.


Question 18 of 28

Other people have told me to reduce shopping/buying, but I did not listen.


Question 19 of 28

I decided to shop/buy less, but could not do it.


Question 20 of 28

I managed to reduce shopping for some time, but later started again.


Question 21 of 28

I become stressed if I cannot shop/buy things.


Question 22 of 28

I become irritated if I cannot shop/buy things when I want to.


Question 23 of 28

I feel bad if I am prevented from shopping/buying.


Question 24 of 28

If I have not shopped for a while, I feel a strong urge to shop/buy.


Question 25 of 28

I shop/buy so much that it causes money problems.


Question 26 of 28

I shop/buy so much that it harms my well-being.


Question 27 of 28

I worry so much about shopping that it affects my sleep.


Question 28 of 28

I feel guilty because of my shopping/buying.




Psychometric Norms

1
Participants
66%
Community Mean
0%
Sample SD
66%
Highest Observed Score
66%
Lowest Observed Score
2026–2026
Collection Period

Current normative data for theCurrent normative data for the Bergen Shopping Addiction Scale (BSAS) are derived from 1 anonymous participant responses collected through TraitProfiler between 2026 and 2026. All response data are collected anonymously and are intended exclusively for educational, psychometric, and non-commercial research purposes.

Sources
  1. Andreassen C. S. et al. Frontiers in Psychology (2015). "The Bergen Shopping Addiction Scale: Reliability and validity of a brief screening test."