Inattention, but not OCD, predicts the core features of hoarding disorder

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Neuroscience
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Hoarding Disorder (HD) is characterized by acquiring and failing to discard possessions, causing significant clutter.
• Historically, HD has been viewed as a subtype of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
• Emerging evidence suggests a potential link between HD and Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between core hoarding features (clutter, discarding difficulty, acquisition), OCD symptoms, and ADHD symptoms.
• To differentiate the etiological factors contributing to Hoarding Disorder.

Main Methods:

• Diagnostic interviews and standardized self-report measures were administered to participants with HD (N=39), non-hoarding OCD (N=26), and healthy controls (N=36).
• Measures assessed core hoarding features, OCD symptoms, negative affect, and inattentive/hyperactive-impulsive ADHD symptoms.
• Multiple linear regression analyses were employed to examine predictive relationships.

Main Results:

• OCD symptoms did not significantly predict any core features of HD after controlling for negative affect.
• Inattentive symptoms of ADHD significantly predicted the severity of clutter, difficulty discarding, and acquisition in individuals with HD.
• Hyperactive/impulsive ADHD symptoms did not show a significant predictive relationship with HD features.

Conclusions:

• The findings challenge the conceptualization of Hoarding Disorder as a subtype of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.
• Results suggest a stronger association between Hoarding Disorder and neurocognitive impairments characteristic of Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder, particularly inattentive symptoms.
• This study highlights the importance of considering ADHD in the assessment and treatment of Hoarding Disorder.