The Role of Adult Attachment and Social Support in Hoarding Disorder

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.