The Influence of Financial Literacy, Money Attitude, and Self-Control on Financial Distress Through Impulsive Buying Among PayLater Users in Surabaya

ABSTRAK

Nur Lailatus Sholikha. Pengaruh Financial Literacy, Money Attitude, dan Self-Control terhadap Financial Distress melalui Impulsive Buying pada Pengguna PayLater di Kota Surabaya. Tesis. Surabaya. Fakultas Ekonimika dan Bisnis. 2026

Penelitian ini bertujuan menganalisis pengaruh Financial Literacy, Money Attitude, dan Self-Control terhadap Financial Distress melalui Impulsive Buying sebagai variabel mediasi pada pengguna PayLater usia 18–35 tahun di Kota Surabaya. Pendekatan kuantitatif dengan metode survei dan PLS-SEM diterapkan pada 207 responden yang dipilih secara purposive sampling. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Financial Literacy dan Self-Control berpengaruh negatif signifikan terhadap Financial Distress, sementara Money Attitude berpengaruh positif signifikan. Financial Literacy tidak terbukti berpengaruh signifikan terhadap Impulsive Buying, sehingga jalur mediasi melalui Impulsive Buying tidak terbentuk. Self-Control merupakan prediktor terkuat Impulsive Buying, sedangkan Impulsive Buying memediasi secara parsial pengaruh Money Attitude dan Self-Control terhadap Financial Distress. Temuan ini mengindikasikan bahwa mekanisme PayLater yang memisahkan momen pembelian dari pembayaran secara sistematis melemahkan peran Financial Literacy dalam mengendalikan perilaku impulsif, sehingga penguatan Self-Control dan Money Attitude yang sehat menjadi intervensi utama bagi pengguna PayLater untuk terhindar dari risiko Financial Distress.

Kata Kunci: Financial Literacy; Money Attitude; Self-Control; Impulsive Buying; Financial Distress; PayLater; PLS-SEM

ABSTRACT

Nur Lailatus Sholikha. The Effect of Financial Literacy, Money Attitude, and Self-Control on Financial Distress Mediated by Impulsive Buying Among PayLater Users in Surabaya. Master's Thesis. Surabaya: Faculty of Economics and Business, 2026.

This study aims to examine the effects of financial literacy, money attitude, and self-control on financial distress, with impulsive buying serving as a mediating variable among PayLater users aged 18–35 years in Surabaya. A quantitative research approach employing a survey method and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was conducted on 207 respondents selected through purposive sampling. The findings indicate that financial literacy and self-control have significant negative effects on financial distress, whereas money attitude has a significant positive effect. Financial literacy does not have a significant effect on impulsive buying; therefore, the mediating effect of impulsive buying is not supported. Self-control emerges as the strongest predictor of impulsive buying, while impulsive buying partially mediates the relationships between money attitude and financial distress, as well as between self-control and financial distress. These findings suggest that the PayLater payment mechanism, which separates the purchasing decision from the payment process, systematically weakens the role of financial literacy in controlling impulsive buying behavior. Consequently, strengthening self-control and fostering healthy money attitudes are the primary interventions to help PayLater users reduce the risk of financial distress.

Keywords: Financial Literacy; Money Attitude; Self-Control; Impulsive Buying; Financial Distress; PayLater; PLS-SEM.