1. Hoarding in a compulsive buying sample
- Author
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Mueller, Astrid, Mueller, Ulrike, Albert, Patricia, Mertens, Christian, Silbermann, Andrea, Mitchell, James E., and de Zwaan, Martina
- Subjects
Compulsive hoarding -- Research ,Compulsive shopping -- Research ,Obsessive-compulsive disorder -- Research ,Psychology and mental health - Abstract
Previous research has indicated that many compulsive buyers also suffer from compulsive hoarding. The present work specifically examined hoarding in a compulsive buying sample. Sixty-six treatment-seeking compulsive buyers were assessed prior to entering a group therapy for compulsive buying using the Compulsive Buying Scale (CBS), the Yale--Brown Obsessive--Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS)-Shopping Version, the Compulsive Acquisition Scale (CAS), the German-CBS, the Saving Inventory-Revised (S1-R), the Maudsley Obsessive Compulsive Inventory (MOCI), the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I (SCID). Inclusion criteria were current problems with compulsive buying according to the proposed diagnostic criteria for compulsive buying by McElroy, Keck, Pope, Smith, and Strakowski [(1994). Compulsive buying: A report of 20 cases. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 55, 242-248]. Our results support the assumption that many but not all compulsive buyers suffer from compulsive hoarding. A significant association between the S1-R and the compulsive buying measures CBS, Y-BOCS-SV, German-CBS, and the CAS-Buy subscale was found, which is mostly caused by the SI-R subscale acquisition. The SI-R subscales clutter and difficulty discarding were more closely associated with the CAS-Free subscale and with obsessive--compulsive symptoms. Hoarding compulsive buyers reported more severe buying symptoms and obsessive--compulsive symptoms and presented with a higher psychiatric co-morbidity, especially any current affective, anxiety and eating disorder. Specific therapeutic interventions for compulsive buyers who also report compulsive hoarding appear indicated. Keywords: Compulsive buying; Compulsive hoarding; Obsessive compulsive disorder
- Published
- 2007