The Hoarding Phenomenon in Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Hoarding behavior in schizophrenia spectrum disorders is a long-recognized phenomenon.
• Limited research exists on the motivations behind hoarding in this population.
• Hoarding disorder is now a distinct diagnosis in the DSM-5, often assessed quantitatively.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the meaning of hoarding for patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders.
• To investigate psychopathological factors motivating hoarding behavior.
• To understand the patient's perspective on hoarding and discarding.

Main Methods:

• Conducted semistructured, narrative interviews with 13 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and hoarding behavior.
• Explored domains including onset, meaning, associated psychopathology, insight, and discarding difficulties.

Main Results:

• Hoarding often begins early in life for these patients.
• Motivations include diminished sense of basic self and transitivistic experiences.
• Difficulty discarding reflects significant ambivalence and rumination.

Conclusions:

• Comprehensive assessments are crucial for accurate diagnosis and understanding of patients with hoarding symptoms.
• Knowledge of hoarding motivations can aid treatment and prevent social adversity.
• The elevation of hoarding disorder to a separate diagnosis in DSM-5, separate from schizophrenia, is questioned.