Financial literacy and psychological vulnerability to financial exploitation: the roles of financial anxiety, self-confidence, and behavior

Background: Financial exploitation constitutes a significant psychological vulnerability shaped by cognitive resources, emotional regulation, and financial decision-making behaviors. While financial literacy is widely recognized as a protective factor, limited empirical evidence disentangles the distinct psychological roles of financial knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors in reducing vulnerability to financial exploitation. Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed survey data from 565 adults in Türkiye. Financial literacy was conceptualized as a multidimensional construct comprising financial knowledge, financial attitude, and financial behavior. Vulnerability to financial exploitation was assessed through three psychosocial indicators: self-confidence, financial anxiety, and financial satisfaction. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to examine the relationships among cognitive, behavioral, and emotional components. Results: Financial knowledge was significantly associated with lower financial anxiety and higher financial satisfaction but showed no direct effect on self-confidence. Financial behavior emerged as the most robust protective factor, significantly enhancing self-confidence and financial satisfaction while substantially reducing financial anxiety. Financial attitude was positively related to financial satisfaction but did not significantly influence anxiety or self-confidence. Financial anxiety demonstrated a strong negative association with both self-confidence and financial satisfaction. Conclusions: Financial exploitation vulnerability is driven by interconnected psychological mechanisms rather than cognitive factors alone. The findings highlight the central role of behavior-based financial competencies and emotional regulation in strengthening financial resilience. Interventions aimed at preventing financial exploitation should prioritize behavioral skill development and psychological risk screening alongside traditional financial education approaches.