The role of emotion regulation in compulsive hoarding

This research investigated whether emotion regulation difficulties are implicated in compulsive hoarding. Across two non-clinical studies, various measures of emotion regulation difficulties were found to be related to hoarding symptoms and beliefs. A third qualitative study with a sample of individuals with hoarding disorder also revealed several themes of emotion regulation difficulties, such as difficulties with identifying and describing feelings, unhelpful attitudes towards emotions, the use of avoidance-based strategies, and emotional functions of acquiring. This project makes an important contribution to the understanding and treatment of hoarding disorder, emphasising the need to incorporate emotion regulation interventions within clinical treatments.