Curtin University Homepage
  • Library
  • Help
    • Admin

    espace - Curtin’s institutional repository

    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
    View Item 
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item

    An investigation of executive functioning, attention and working memory in compulsive hoarding

    Access Status
    Fulltext not available
    Authors
    McMillan, S.
    Rees, Clare
    Pestell, C.
    Date
    2013
    Type
    Journal Article
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Citation
    McMillan, S. and Rees, C. and Pestell, C. 2013. An investigation of executive functioning, attention and working memory in compulsive hoarding. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy. 41 (5): pp. 610-625.
    Source Title
    Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy
    DOI
    10.1017/S1352465812000835
    ISSN
    1352-4658
    School
    School of Psychology and Speech Pathology
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/32158
    Collection
    • Curtin Research Publications
    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. Aims: 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. Method: 24 participants with compulsive hoarding were tested on the Digit Span, Spatial Span and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Tests (WCST). Results: On the WCST, 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.

    Related items

    Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.

    • The impact of parental hoarding on the lives of children: Interviews with adult offspring of parents with hoarding disorder
      Rees, Clare; Valentine, S.; Anderson, R. (2017)
      © 2017 The Australian Psychological Society. Background: Hoarding disorder is associated with significant impairment for the individual such as lower rates of employment and social isolation. However, less is known about ...
    • Compulsive exercise as a mediator between clinical perfectionism and eating pathology.
      Egan, Sarah; Bodill, Kate; Watson, H.; Valentine, Emily; Shu, C.; Hagger, Martin (2016)
      The aim of this study was to examine whether compulsive exercise mediates the relationship between clinical perfectionism and eating pathology, based on the cognitive behavioral model of compulsive exercise. Participants ...
    • Can Corrective Information Reduce Negative Appraisals of Intrusive Thoughts in a Community Sample?
      Rees, Clare; Austen, T.; Anderson, Rebecca; Egan, Sarah (2014)
      Background: Improving mental health literacy in the general population is important as it is associated with early detection and treatment-seeking for mental health problems. Target areas for mental health literacy programs ...
    Advanced search

    Browse

    Communities & CollectionsIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument TypeThis CollectionIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument Type

    My Account

    Admin

    Statistics

    Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors

    Follow Curtin

    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 

    CRICOS Provider Code: 00301JABN: 99 143 842 569TEQSA: PRV12158

    Copyright | Disclaimer | Privacy statement | Accessibility

    Curtin would like to pay respect to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of our community by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which the Perth campus is located, the Whadjuk people of the Nyungar Nation; and on our Kalgoorlie campus, the Wongutha people of the North-Eastern Goldfields.