The generational impact of household clutter

Objectives

Hoarding disorder can create long-term problems for adult children of individuals with hoarding symptoms; however, the extent of the psychosocial consequences of growing up in a cluttered household are not yet fully understood. This study investigated the extent to which generational clutter (i.e., parent/caregiver and grandparent) influenced individuals' self-reported hoarding severity and psychiatric and psychosocial functioning.

Methods

A total of 1306 adults completed an online survey that included measures of hoarding, anxiety, depression, companionship and emotional support. A subsample (n = 198) reported on parent and grandparent household clutter, as well as family impact from hoarding. We used correlations, t-tests, linear and hierarchical regressions and mediation analyses to investigate whether hoarding symptoms were predicted by parent or grandparent hoarding.

Results

Parent clutter level significantly predicted participant hoarding symptoms. For participants who reported having caregivers with elevated clutter, self-reported psychosocial functioning was lower overall. Self-reported behaviour modification due to family hoarding symptoms (accommodation) was a significant predictor of participant hoarding symptoms.

Conclusions

Parent clutter and family accommodation behaviours may be a risk factor for future clutter in adult children. Further comparisons between parents and children are needed to determine whether this association increases children's risk for future hoarding symptoms.