Hoarding in Children With ADHD

Abstract

Objective: Although evidence suggests that hoarding may be associated with symptoms of ADHD, no study has examined this relationship in children.

Method: Participants included 99 youth diagnosed with ADHD (and a parent) seen in a general outpatient psychiatry clinic. Children completed the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Child Version, the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Parents completed the Children's Saving Inventory and Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Rating Scale-Parent Version.

Results: Inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms were the only indicator that differentiated those with and without clinically significant hoarding. Symptoms of ADHD, but not nonhoarding obsessive-compulsive symptoms, significantly predicted hoarding. Inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity were uniquely associated with individual hoarding features. Hoarding symptoms mediated the relationship between ADHD and oppositionality.

Conclusion: These findings contribute to the growing literature about the association between hoarding and ADHD.

Keywords: ADHD; children; hoarding; obsessive-compulsive disorder.