The purpose of this study is to develop and test a cognitive behavioral treatment for compulsive accumulation of goods.

Compulsive hoarding is a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) that is characterized by excessive acquisition of possessions, difficulty discarding possessions, and excessive clutter. This condition is resistant to both pharmacological and psychotherapeutic interventions that are effective in treating other symptoms of OCD. This study will determine the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in treating compulsive hoarding symptoms.

This study consists of three phases. In Phase 1, data from previously conducted pilot studies will be revised and expanded. In Phase 2, the revised data will be used to develop and implement a treatment manual for compulsive hoarding. During this phase, treatment will be flexibly applied to allow for variations in treatment duration and choice of techniques. During Phase 3, participants will be randomly assigned to either CBT or a wait-list control, followed by active treatment for a fixed duration. Therapist adherence and competence will be assessed through audiotaped therapy sessions.

Ages Eligible for Study:  18 Years and above,  Genders Eligible for Study:  Both

Criteria

Inclusion criteria:

• Display at least moderately severe hoarding symptoms
• Must live within 45 minutes of Boston, MA or Hartford, CT

Exclusion criteria:

• Ten or more sessions of cognitive behavior therapy for hoarding
• Concurrent psychotherapy or medications
• Suicidal, psychotic, or other psychiatric symptoms requiring hospitalization
• Compulsive buying symptoms that are part of a manic phase of bipolar disorder
• Mental retardation, dementia, brain damage, or other cognitive dysfunction that would interfere with the study