title: An investigation of executive functioning, attention and working memory in compulsive hoarding.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Compulsive Hoarding involves the acquisition of, and failure to discard, a large number of possessions that appear to be useless or of limited value, cluttered living spaces and significant distress or impairment in functioning (Frost and Hartl, 1996). The problem is multifaceted and appears best explained by a cognitive-behavioural framework.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study set out to test one aspect of Frost and Hartl’s (1996) cognitive-behavioural model of compulsive hoarding by investigating theorized cognitive deficits in executive functioning, such as working memory and attention.
  
  
  METHODS
  24 participants with compulsive hoarding were tested on the Digit Span, Spatial Span and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Tests (WCST).
  
  
  RESULTS
  On theWCST, the hoarding group had a significantly higher number of perseveration errors (t=1.67, p=.005) and significantly lower numbers of categories completed (t=−2.47, p=.001) than test norms. Only “failure to maintain set” was significantly correlated with hoarding severity (r=.435, p<.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings lend support to the theory that people who compulsively hoard have executive dysfunction, which impacts on their ability to process information. Deficits relate to difficulties in forming effective strategies, inadequate feedback response, problems in concept formation, and impulsivity. Difficulties in sustained attention also appeared to be a factor in hoarding severity. These findings are important in directing more targeted clinical interventions.
authors.affiliation: Curtin University, Perth, Australia.
authors.forename: Sandra G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: McMillan
authors.forename: Clare S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Rees
authors.forename: Carmela
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pestell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D001288:Attention; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D000067836:Hoarding Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D013223:Statistics as Topic