Compulsive hoarding: current status of the research

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Psychiatry
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Compulsive hoarding is a complex condition characterized by excessive acquisition and inability to discard possessions.
• Understanding the underlying mechanisms is crucial for effective intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the literature on compulsive hoarding.
• To present a conceptual model for understanding hoarding behavior.
• To evaluate current research on diagnosis, phenomenology, and treatment.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of compulsive hoarding research.
• Analysis of a conceptual model incorporating cognitive, emotional, and behavioral factors.
• Examination of diagnostic and treatment studies.

Main Results:

• Hoarding behavior is linked to information processing deficits, strong emotional attachments to possessions, and avoidance behaviors.
• Current treatments for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), such as serotonergic medications, show limited efficacy for hoarding disorder.
• Cognitive and behavioral therapies, particularly those addressing model-identified deficits, demonstrate some utility.

Conclusions:

• A comprehensive model integrating cognitive, emotional, and behavioral factors provides a framework for understanding compulsive hoarding.
• Further research is needed to refine diagnostic criteria and develop more effective treatments for hoarding disorder.
• Cognitive and behavioral interventions show more promise than pharmacological approaches for hoarding disorder.