Associations between aberrant salience and hoarding severity in a community sample.
Hollie Rivers1, Caitriona Collins2, Nick Neave1
1Department of Psychology, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Cognitive Neuropsychiatry
|February 19, 2026
Summary
This study reveals a significant link between aberrant salience and hoarding severity in adults. Higher aberrant salience experiences correlate with increased hoarding symptoms, suggesting a potential new avenue for understanding hoarding disorder.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Psychopathology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Aberrant salience is linked to psychosis and other mental health conditions.
- Dopaminergic system dysregulation is associated with hoarding disorder.
- The role of aberrant salience in hoarding has not been previously explored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between self-reported aberrant salience and hoarding severity.
- To examine this relationship in a community sample of adults.
- To explore potential links between aberrant salience and hoarding disorder.
Main Methods:
- A correlational, cross-sectional study design was used.
- An online survey was administered to 214 adults.
- Participants completed the Aberrant Salience Inventory (ASI) and Savings Inventory-Revised (SI-R).
Main Results:
- Aberrant Salience Inventory (ASI) scores were positively correlated with Savings Inventory-Revised (SI-R) scores (r=0.35, p<.001).
- ASI scores significantly predicted SI-R scores, even after controlling for demographic factors and mood.
- This study provides the first empirical evidence for a connection between aberrant salience and hoarding.
Conclusions:
- This research establishes a novel association between aberrant salience and hoarding severity.
- Further research in clinical populations is warranted to confirm these findings.
- Understanding this link may inform future therapeutic interventions for hoarding disorder.
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