Abstract
CONCEPTUALIZING HOARDING BEHAVIOR AMONG ELDERLY WOMEN: A MIXED-METHODS APPROACH By Susan J. Murdock, M.S.W. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2006 Dissertation Committee Chairperson: Joseph Walsh, Ph.D. School of Social Work Hoarding in the con~munity involves substantial cluttering and impaired functioning, often exposing the hoarder to extensive health and safety risks. This research, based on Functionalism social theory, explores the three elements of hoarding-relentless acquisition, intense possessiveness of objects, and a reluctance to discard possessions-as a sociocultural phenomenon. The mixed methods methodology entailed a quantitative study involving a survey completed by 134 adult protective services workers throughout Virginia and a qualitative study of five randomly-selected adult protective services workers who volunteered for in-depth interviews. Findings revealed that adult protective services workers come in contact with very severe cases of hoarding, with over two-thirds of the cases cited having extremely
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