A pilot study of a motivational early intervention for excessive acquiring behaviours

Abstract

Researchers have proposed that the excessive acquisition of objects is a more malleable symptom of hoarding disorder (HD) than the symptoms of difficulty discarding and clutter. Thus, early intervention to reduce acquiring among higher-risk individuals may be a key pathway to reduce subsequent hoarding symptoms. Despite emerging research on motivations to acquire objects in HD, scant attention has been paid to the factors surrounding the intention to reduce acquiring. Moreover, few studies have targeted acquiring behaviours specifically. We piloted a brief online motivational intervention to reduce excessive acquisition tendencies among a sample of university students with elevated symptoms of acquiring and difficulty discarding (N=83). We also developed object acquiring insight and readiness to change rulers to address the dearth of HD specific measures of motivation. Participants were randomly allocated to complete either a motivational interviewing style protocol to reduce acquiring or an active control condition (behavioural activation). Results revealed a strong positive association between problem insight and readiness to reduce acquiring. There were no differences post-intervention between participants in the motivational and control conditions with respect to insight, readiness to change, or acquisition of objects. Participants' self-reported acquiring symptoms were significantly reduced one-week post-intervention in both conditions. Thematic analyses of responses within the motivational protocol revealed that the participants’ decisional balance leant towards a change to their acquiring behaviours. Together, the pattern of results provided some support for the further development and testing of the online motivational protocol as an early intervention within a stepped care approach to treating HD.