Behavioral and experiential avoidance in patients with hoarding disorder

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Mental Health

Background:

• Hoarding disorder (HD) is a complex condition characterized by persistent difficulty discarding possessions.
• Anxiety and depression symptoms are often comorbid with HD and can influence symptom severity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between experiential and behavioral avoidance and hoarding symptom severity.
• To control for the influence of anxiety and depression symptoms on this relationship.

Main Methods:

• Hierarchical regression analysis was employed.
• Hoarding severity was measured using the Savings Inventory-Revised (SI-R).
• Experiential and behavioral avoidance were assessed using the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire II (AAQ-II) and Brief COPE subscales.

Main Results:

• Both experiential and behavioral avoidance significantly predicted hoarding severity.
• Behavioral avoidance uniquely contributed to the Clutter subscale of the SI-R.
• Experiential avoidance uniquely predicted the Difficulty Discarding and Acquisition subscales of the SI-R.

Conclusions:

• Experiential and behavioral avoidance are distinct constructs that contribute to specific facets of hoarding disorder.
• Findings support the integration of avoidance into cognitive-behavioral models for HD.
• Further experimental research on experiential avoidance in HD is warranted.