In 2012, hoarding disorder (HD) was classified as a disorder separate from OCD in the DSM-5. More information was needed regarding its true prevalence, associated risk factors, and social- and health-related consequences.

This study by Dr. Nordsletten and her team initially aimed to explore HD in a large Swedish sample, and to identify the relationship between symptoms such as object hoarding, excessive collection of objects, animal hoarding, and squalor on the population level. However, this research ultimately led to a transcultural study of HD, with 82 participants with HD from the United Kingdom (UK), Spain, Japan, and Brazil. The results of this study showed that HD severity, features, cognitions, and behaviors were generally consistent across each culture. However, comorbid disorders were more common in the samples from the UK (86%) and Brazil (100%), compared to Spain (33%) and Japan (47%). The average age of participants in the UK and Brazil was also older than those from Spain and Japan, but participants generally reported a similar age of HD onset (20s-30s). Although this study provided insight into HD looks across different cultures, more research into additional cultures and how they affect symptoms is needed.

Resulting Publication:

*Nordsletten, A.E., Fernández de la Cruz, L., Aluco, E., Alonso, P., López-Solà, C., Menchón, J.M., Nakao, T., Kuwano, M., Yamada, S., Fontenelle, L.F., Campos-Lima, A.L., & Mataix-Cols, D. (2018). A transcultural study of hoarding disorder: Insights from the United Kingdom, Spain, Japan, and Brazil. Transcultural Psychiatry, 55(2), 261-285. doi:10.1177/1363461518759203