Subjective Economic Status and Adolescent Materialism: The Moderating Role of Parental Material Indulgence and the Mediating Role of Self-Esteem

The present study tested a dual pathway model explaining how adolescents’ subjective economic status relates to their materialistic values. Specifically, we examined parental material indulgence as a moderator and adolescent self-esteem as a mediator of this relationship. A total of 2,055 Polish adolescents (aged 10-18) completed self-report measures assessing perceived family economic status, self-esteem, materialistic values, and parental material indulgence. The results supported the hypothesized model. When parental material indulgence was low, higher subjective economic status was associated with lower materialism. In contrast, under conditions of high indulgence, the same perception of economic comfort was linked to stronger materialistic orientations. Additionally, subjective economic status predicted higher self-esteem, which in turn was associated with lower materialism. These findings highlight the complex interplay between adolescents’ economic self-perceptions, parenting practices, and psychological resources in shaping materialistic values. The results may inform parents, educators, and practitioners in developing interventions aimed at reducing materialistic tendencies among youth.