Risk factors for materialistic attitudes and values of teenagers – role of parents and peers

ABSTRACT The aim of the study was to propose a model of risk factors for adolescent materialism related to insecurity feeling from parents and peers. Teenagers aged 13–16 were surveyed. The results of the study showed a good fit for the tested model of the sources of materialism linked to insecurity feeling. Parental emotional support, occurrence of threatening events in the life of the teenager and peer pressure were important predictors of teen materialism. Peer pressure mediated the relationship between parental support, both emotional and material, and teen materialism. The assumed effect of peer pressure mediation in the relationship between peer to peer consumer communication and teen materialism was not confirmed while a direct relationship between peer to peer consumer communication and adolescent materialism was observed. In conclusion, the results of the presented study indicate that the simultaneous occurrence of the three: lack of parental support, occurrence of life-threatening events, and peer pressure constitutes a risk factor of adolescent materialism.