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Excessive acquisition in hoarding

Randy O Frost1, David F Tolin, Gail Steketee

  • 1Department of Psychology, Smith College, Northampton, MA 01063, USA. rfrost@smith.edu

Journal of Anxiety Disorders
|March 6, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Excessive acquisition, including compulsive buying, is common in hoarding disorder. This behavior is linked to more severe hoarding, earlier onset, and greater impairment.

Area of Science:

  • Psychiatry
  • Psychology
  • Behavioral Science

Background:

  • Compulsive hoarding involves acquiring and failing to discard possessions, leading to health risks and burdens.
  • Research has often overlooked specific components like excessive acquisition within hoarding disorder.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence and impact of excessive acquisition in individuals with hoarding disorder.
  • To differentiate the roles of excessive buying and acquiring free items in hoarding severity.

Main Methods:

  • An Internet survey was administered to 878 individuals with hoarding disorder and 665 family informants.
  • Participants self-identified with hoarding disorder and met clinical criteria.

Main Results:

  • Approximately 85% of hoarding participants reported excessive acquisition, with nearly 95% confirmed by informants.
  • Excessive acquisition was associated with earlier onset, greater hoarding severity, and increased psychiatric work impairment.
  • Individuals with excessive acquisition reported more symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, and anxiety.

Conclusions:

  • Excessive acquisition is a significant factor in hoarding disorder, contributing to its severity and associated impairments.
  • Both excessive buying and acquiring free items independently predict hoarding severity and related psychological symptoms.

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