In the study, the data was obtained from measuring how much free time 1,329 adolescents in the mid-western United States had, and how much importance they placed on materialistic values. The adolescents were also asked to rate their perceived well-being, or happiness, levels. The results were fairly concordant, showing that those who practice compulsive buying and who put a great importance on material goods had a lower happiness level. Possessing more things does not make one happier! Time affluence, or the amount of free time each subject had, influenced happiness levels as well. The study showed that someone who is a compulsive buyer but who doesn’t have too little or too much free time will be happier than someone who does have to little or too much free time.
