Does Trauma Lead to Hoarding?
In a paper published in the June 2007 issue of Behavior Research and Therapy, a study of individuals diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) suggests that traumatic life experiences may be a catalyst for the abrupt onset of OCD symptoms (including compulsive hoarding). The study researchers analyzed the interview responses to the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder module of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV, (SCID) in 180 individuals diagnosed with OCD. Compared to individuals with OCD who did not meet criteria for hoarding, participants classified as hoarders (24% of the sample) were significantly more likely to have reported at least one traumatic life experience in their lifetime. Patients who met criteria for hoarding and who had also experienced traumatic life experiences had significantly greater hoarding symptom severity than those hoarders not exposed to trauma. The relationship between traumatic life experiences and hoarding symptom severity was found to be independent of other factors such as age, age of OCD onset, depressive symptoms, general OCD symptomatology, or related mood and anxiety problems. The researchers also found that it was cluttering (and not collecting or failing to get rid of possessions) that was most strongly associated with traumatic experiences. These results provide insight into the hoarding behaviour observed in some trauma victims as well as the extreme hoarding behaviour in cases of Diogenes syndrome.
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