Hoarding Disorder: Development in Conceptualization, Intervention, and Evaluation

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Mental Health
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Hoarding disorder is defined by persistent difficulty discarding possessions, causing significant distress and clutter.
• Traditional treatments for obsessive-compulsive disorder, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and SSRIs, are often ineffective for hoarding disorder.
• Accumulation of possessions results from strong urges to save items, often of little perceived value.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current understanding and treatment of hoarding disorder.
• To highlight the limitations of traditional CBT and SSRIs for hoarding disorder.
• To explore emerging treatment models and future research directions for hoarding disorder.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of hoarding disorder research.
• Analysis of treatment efficacy for hoarding disorder.
• Discussion of specialized CBT approaches and their adaptations.

Main Results:

• Specialized CBT approaches demonstrate progress in treating hoarding disorder.
• Modified CBT models (group, peer-facilitated, virtual) are being developed.
• Traditional CBT and SSRIs show limited efficacy for hoarding disorder.

Conclusions:

• Hoarding disorder requires specialized treatment approaches beyond those for obsessive-compulsive disorder.
• Further research is needed, including studies on animal, attachment, and genetic models.
• Interventions must consider special populations and community-based efforts to address public health impacts.