Self-esteem and relationship obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms: The mediating role of gift-giving style

Researchers across the world have shown significant interest in the association between self-esteem and various aspects of life, including romantic relationships. The current study underscored the significance of self-esteem in understanding quality of relationships in terms of symptoms of relationship obsessive-compulsive disorder (ROCD) and investigated how specific romantic financial behaviors contribute to the incidence of ROCD. Data for this study came from a sample of 400 men and women aged 18–30 years, who were or had been involved in a heterosexual romantic relationship. We sought to define the mediating effect of gift-giving motive (positive, practical, and obligatory) on the relationship between self-esteem and ROCD symptoms. The findings revealed that practical gift-giving motive acted as a mediating variable between self-esteem and ROCD symptoms. Obligatory gift-giving motive, however, had a nonsignificant association with symptoms of ROCD but a significant connection with self-esteem. Implications of the findings are discussed.