Affluenza, Stress, and the Erosion of Quality of Life: A Mediation Study Among Indian Youth

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of affluenza (excessive materialism) on the quality of life (QoL) in 500 young Indian adults, with an inclusion of mediation analysis. Utilizing quantitative methods through SPSS-27.0 and Hayes’ PROCESS Macro (Model 4), the study examined whether psychological stress mediates the relationship between affluenza and QoL. Results indicate a negative correlation between affluenza and QoL (r = -0.853, p < 0.01). Mediation analysis revealed that psychological stress significantly mediates this relationship (indirect effect = -1.41, 95% CI [-1.89, -0.97]), with affluenza explaining 72.8% of the variance in QoL. These findings underscore the detrimental role of materialistic values on youth well-being, suggesting the need for mental health interventions promoting intrinsic values, emotional resilience, and mindfulness. The study advances the discourse on consumerism's psychological costs and offers a culturally grounded approach to improving life satisfaction among Indian youth.