Do patients with hoarding disorder have autistic traits?

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Background:

• Hoarding symptoms are noted in autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
• Hoarding disorder (HD) may present with ASD-like features.
• Clarifying diagnostic boundaries between HD and ASD is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate autistic traits and theory of mind deficits in individuals with HD.
• To assess hoarding behavior in patients with ASD.
• To differentiate between HD and ASD.

Main Methods:

• 221 participants across five groups: HD, ASD, OCD, AD, and HC.
• Administered Autism-Spectrum Quotient for autistic traits.
• Utilized the eyes test-revised for theory of mind and Saving Inventory-Revised (SI-R) for hoarding severity.

Main Results:

• Hoarders showed more autistic traits than healthy controls, but not psychiatric controls.
• ASD patients exhibited more severe hoarding behavior than psychiatric and HC groups, but less than HD patients.
• Autistic traits in HD correlated with comorbid OCD; hoarding in ASD did not correlate with comorbid OCD.

Conclusions:

• Hoarding disorder is supported as an independent diagnostic entity, distinct from psychiatric controls.
• Further research is needed to understand hoarding symptoms in ASD.
• Diagnostic boundaries between HD and ASD require continued refinement.