title: Empowering families to help a loved one with Hoarding Disorder: pilot study of Family-As-Motivators training.
abstract: Individuals with Hoarding Disorder (HD)-a dangerous problem and public health concern-are often ambivalent about treatment. Furthermore, family members of those with HD report high levels of distress and often attempt to intervene unsuccessfully. The current study reports outcome data from a pilot study of a new training package-designed exclusively for empowering family members to address a loved one's treatment ambivalence-called Family-As-Motivators (FAM) training. Nine family members of a loved one with HD initiated 14 sessions of FAM Training and were measured at pre-, mid-, and post-training on a comprehensive outcome battery. Results over the course of training suggested that family members improved in the use of certain coping strategies and in the application of motivational interviewing techniques. They also exhibited increased hopefulness, reported a reduced negative impact of HD on the family, rated a reduction in family accommodation of HD behaviors, and displayed boosts in HD and motivational interviewing knowledge. According to participants who completed the program, FAM Training was rated as highly acceptable. Although only preliminary, the current pilot study suggests that FAM Training is palatable for participants and shows promise for improving the lives of family members of those with HD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Towson University, USA. Electronic address: gchasson@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Gregory S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Chasson
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Towson University, USA.
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carpenter
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Towson University, USA.
authors.forename: Jenna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ewing
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Towson University, USA.
authors.forename: Brittany
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gibby
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Towson University, USA.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D000067836:Hoarding Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D062405:Motivational Interviewing; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011209:Power, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Family; Family accommodation; Harm reduction; Hoarding; Motivational interviewing; Treatment