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Do People With Hoarding Disorder Under-Report Their Symptoms?, Jennifer Dimauro, David F. Tolin, Randy O. Frost, Gail Steketee

Psychology: Faculty Publications

Previous research indicates that people with hoarding sometimes under- or over-report the severity of their symptoms. This article examines the results of two separate studies that evaluate severity ratings made by participants with hoarding disorder (HD) in comparison to ratings by family members or independent evaluators. In Study 1, HD participants' ratings of the severity of the clutter in their home and their hoarding behaviors were less severe than those made by their friends or family members. This result may be accounted for by family members' rejecting attitudes towards the participant. In Study 2, HD participants appeared to under-report specific …