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date: 26 January 2021

Abstract and Keywords

Accumulating evidence suggests that the overwhelming majority of people with hoarding disorder (HD) acquire excessively. Excessive acquisition in HD is associated with greater severity of symptoms. Compulsive buying and the excessive acquisition of free things are the most frequent forms of acquisition, although a small percentage of individuals engage in stealing. Features thought to be important in the development of hoarding (e.g., indecisiveness, perfectionism) are also associated with excessive acquisition. Some evidence suggests that excessive acquisition may be easier to treat than clutter or difficulty in discarding. A significant number of people with HD, even those who report no present or past difficulties with acquisition, report engaging in behaviors designed to avoid cues for acquiring.

Keywords: compulsive buying, excessive acquisition, acquisition specifier, stealing

Randy O. Frost

Randy O. Frost is the Harold Edward and Elsa Siipola Israel Professor of Psychology at Smith College.

Astrid Müller

Astrid Müller, Hannover Medical School, Germany

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