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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

The article discusses the difference between food intolerances and food allergies, and focuses on the methods for the differential diagnosis of food allergies and food intolerances. It mentions that the term 'food intolerance' is used to describe a range of food related complaints of varying etiology, whereas the term 'food allergy' refers to specific immunological mediated forms of food intolerance. It describes the process for differential diagnosis of non-immunologically mediated food intolerances and immunologically mediated food intolerances.

Objective: The present study examined the follow-up of a multimodal day clinic group-based therapy program for patients with trauma-related disorders and investigated potential differences for patients with classic PTSD versus cPTSD., Method: Sixty-six patients were contacted 6 and 12 months after discharge of our 8-week program and completed various questionnaires (Essen Trauma Inventory (ETI), Beck Depression Inventory-Revised (BDI-II), Screening scale of complex PTSD (SkPTBS), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-Somatization, as well as single items to therapy utilization and life events in the interim period). Due to organizational reasons a control group could not be included. Statistical analyses included repeated-measures ANOVA with cPTSD as between-subject factor., Results: The reduction of depressive symptoms at discharge was persistent at 6 and 12 months follow-up. Somatization symptoms were increased at discharge, but were leveled out at 6 months follow-up. The same effect was found for cPTSD symptoms in those patients with non-complex trauma-related disorders: Their increase of cPTSD symptoms was flattened at 6 months follow-up. Patients with a very high risk for cPTSD showed a strong linear reduction of cPTSD symptoms from admission to discharge and 6 months follow-up. cPTSD patients had a higher symptom load compared to patients without cPTSD on all time points and scales., Conclusion: Multimodal, day clinic trauma-focused treatment is associated with positive changes even after 6 and 12 months. Positive therapy outcomes (reduced depression, reduced cPTSD symptoms for patients with a very high risk for cPTSD) could be maintained. However, PTSD symptomatology was not significantly reduced. Increases in somatoform symptoms were leveled out and can therefore be regarded as side effects of treatment, which may be connected with actualization of trauma in the intensive psychotherapeutic treatment. Further analyses should be applied in larger samples and a control group., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Bever-Philipps, Silbermann, Morawa, Schäflein, Stemmler and Erim.)

Objective: The purpose of this study was to conduct a randomized trial comparing the efficacy of a group cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention designed for the treatment of compulsive buying disorder to a waiting list control (WLC) group., Method: Thirty-one patients with compulsive buying problems according to the criteria developed by McElroy et al. were assigned to receive active treatment (12 weekly sessions and 6-month follow-up) and 29 to the WLC group. The treatment was specifically aimed at interrupting and controlling the problematic buying behavior, establishing healthy purchasing patterns, restructuring maladaptive thoughts and negative feelings associated with shopping and buying, and developing healthy coping skills. Primary outcome measures were the Compulsive Buying Scale (CBS), the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale-Shopping Version (YBOCS-SV), and the German Compulsive Buying Scale (G-CBS). Secondary outcome measures were the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), and the Saving Inventory-Revised (SI-R). The study was completed between November 2003 and May 2007 at the University Hospital of Erlangen, Bavaria, Germany., Results: Multivariate analysis revealed significant differences between the CBT and the WLC groups on the primary outcome variables (outcome-by-time-by-group effect, Pillai's trace, F = 6.960, df = 1, p = .002). The improvement was maintained during the 6-month follow-up. The treatment did not affect other psychopathology, e.g., compulsive hoarding, impulsivity, or SCL-90-R scores. We found that lower numbers of visited group therapy sessions and higher pretreatment hoarding traits as measured with the SI-R total score were significant predictors for nonresponse., Conclusion: The results suggest that a disorder-specific cognitive-behavioral intervention can significantly impact compulsive buying behavior.