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The Role of Adult Attachment and Social Support in Hoarding Disorder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 October 2013

Emma Medard
Affiliation:
University of Sheffield, UK
Stephen Kellett*
Affiliation:
Centre for Psychological Services Research at University of Sheffield and Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust, UK
*
Reprint requests to Stephen Kellett, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK. E-mail: s.kellett@sheffield.ac.uk

Abstract

Background: Research concerning the role of attachment and social support in hoarding is currently under investigated. Aims: To investigate whether hoarders experience less social support and more problematic relationships, the degree to which attachment and social support predicts hoarding and whether attachment moderates the relationship between social support and hoarding. Method: Measures of hoarding, attachment and social support were taken in a cross-sectional methodological design. Hoarders were identified via scores reaching caseness on the Savings Inventory–Revised (SI-R). Results: Hoarders (N = 380) reported significantly higher levels of attachment anxiety and avoidance and significantly lower levels of social support than student (N = 670) and community (N = 379) controls. Attachment and social support predicted 13% of total SI-R scores for hoarders, and attachment anxiety (but not avoidance) moderated the inverse relationship between social support and hoarding. Conclusions: Attachment and social support appears problematic for hoarders. Clinical implications and methodological issues are noted.

Type
Brief Clinical Reports
Copyright
Copyrighxt © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2013 

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