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Hoarding Disorder and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation.
David F Tolin1,2, Hannah C Levy1, Bethany M Wootton1
1Institute of Living, Hartford, CT.
Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders
|March 5, 2019
Summary
Individuals with hoarding disorder (HD) exhibit significant difficulties in emotion regulation (ER), independent of depression and anxiety. These emotion regulation challenges are linked to hoarding severity.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Hoarding disorder (HD) is a complex condition characterized by persistent difficulty discarding possessions.
- Emotion regulation (ER) difficulties are increasingly recognized as a potential contributing factor in HD.
- Existing research suggests a link between ER and HD, but further investigation is needed to clarify this relationship.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate self-reported emotion regulation (ER) deficits in individuals diagnosed with hoarding disorder (HD).
- To examine the relationship between specific emotion regulation difficulties and hoarding severity.
- To determine if ER deficits in HD persist after accounting for comorbid depression, anxiety, and stress.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 77 adult outpatients with HD and 45 healthy controls (HC).
- Participants completed diagnostic assessments and self-report measures including the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), hoarding severity, depression, and anxiety.
- Statistical analyses were performed to compare DERS scores between groups and to assess correlations between DERS subscales and hoarding severity, controlling for covariates.
Main Results:
- The HD group reported significantly higher difficulties in all measured aspects of emotion regulation (ER) compared to the HC group.
- Self-reported ER deficits in the HD group remained significant even when controlling for depression, anxiety, and stress.
- Specific ER difficulties, including impulse control, strategy use, and acceptance of emotions, were significantly correlated with hoarding severity (acquiring and saving).
Conclusions:
- Hoarding disorder (HD) is characterized by significant, self-reported emotion regulation (ER) deficits.
- These ER deficits are not solely explained by high levels of depression and anxiety in individuals with HD.
- Targeting emotion regulation difficulties may be a crucial component in the treatment of hoarding disorder.
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