Mood, personality disorder symptoms and disability in obsessive compulsivehoarders: a comparison with clinical and nonclinical controls

Hoarding is a symptom of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), as well as a diagnostic criterion for obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OCPD). One recent study suggests that people who suffer from compulsive hoarding r eport more general psychopathology than people who do not [Frost, R.O., Kra use, M.S., & Steketee, G. (1996). Hoarding and obsessive compulsive symptoms. Behavior Modification, 20, 116- 132]. The present study addressed whether persons with OCD hoarding exhibit more depression, anxiety, OCD and personality disorders symptoms than comm unity controls, OCD nonhoarders, or other anxiety disorder patients. Disabi lity was also examined. Hoarding subjects were older than the other three g roups, but age did not account for any of the differences observed among th e groups. Compared to controls, OCD hoarding, nonhoarding OCD and anxiety d isorder patients showed elevated YBOCS scores, as well as higher scores on depression, anxiety, family and social disability. Compared to nonhoarding OCD and anxiety disorder patients, OCD hoarding patients scored higher on a nxiety, depression, family and social disability. Hoarding subjects had gre ater personality disorder symptoms than controls. However, OCD hoarding sub jects differed from OCD nonhoarding and anxiety disorder subjects only on d ependent and schizotypal personality disorder symptoms. The findings sugges t that hoarding is associated with significant comorbidity and impairment c ompared to nonhoarding OCD and other anxiety disorders. (C) 2000 Elsevier S cience Ltd. All rights reserved.