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A Single-Item Screening Tool for the Assessment of Hoarding: Preliminary Observations
Peter S Pressman1,2, Julia Schaffer1, Kelly Finch1
1Behavioral Neurology Section, Department of Neurology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora.
The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences
|February 6, 2026
Summary
A simplified hoarding screen shows promise for identifying hoarding disorder in patients with neurobehavioral disorders. This single-item tool may help clinicians assess hoarding behaviors more efficiently.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Gerontology
Background:
- Hoarding disorder involves persistent difficulty discarding possessions, causing distress and reduced quality of life.
- It is linked to obsessive-compulsive disorders and neurodegenerative conditions.
- Traditional hoarding assessments can be challenging in clinical settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate a simplified hoarding screen for patients with neurobehavioral disorders.
- To assess the utility of a single-item questionnaire for screening hoarding behavior.
Main Methods:
- The Single-Item Hoarding Screen (SIHS), a single-item questionnaire, was administered to 135 patients with neurobehavioral disorders.
- Caregivers completed the SIHS for patients diagnosed with conditions like Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia.
- Patients' mean age was 70.9 years, with 39% females.
Main Results:
- 23% of caregivers responded 'yes' or 'maybe' to the SIHS question.
- 'Yes' responses correlated significantly with higher scores on the Hoarding Rating Scale.
- Hoarding behaviors showed significant correlations with neuropsychiatric symptom severity and caregiver well-being.
Conclusions:
- A single-item tool may effectively screen for hoarding behavior in neurobehavioral disorders.
- The SIHS shows potential for efficient clinical assessment.
- Further research is needed to refine and validate the SIHS.
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