Definition
Before publication of the DSM-5, hoarding was conceptualized as a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, research findings has led to the reclassification of pathological hoarding, known as hoarding disorder (HD), into a separate diagnosis from OCD with primary diagnostic criteria encompassing (a) a persistent difficulty discarding possessions, (b) distress associated with discarding items, (c) the accumulation of clutter, and (d) clinically significant distress/impairment (American Psychiatric Association 2013). The age of onset of compulsive hoarding ranges from 11 to 15 years old, but symptoms may not become clinically significant until adulthood (Tolin et al. 2010). The overall prevalence rate of HD ranges from about 1.5 to 5.8%, though most research has studied adults (Nordsletten and Mataix-Cols 2012; Timpano et al. 2011).
Hoarding behaviors may be common among youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) for three reasons. First, executive functioning...
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Zaboski, B.A., Storch, E.A. (2021). Hoarding in Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders. In: Volkmar, F.R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91280-6_102197
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