Childhood environmental unpredictability and hoarding: Mediating roles of attachment and security

This study aimed to explore the key roles of childhood environmental unpredictability, attachment, and sense of security in the development of hoarding. 662 participants completed scales on childhood environmental unpredictability, Revised Experiences in Close Relationships (ECR-R), sense of insecurity, and Savings Inventory-Revised (SI-R). The results showed that childhood environmental unpredictability was significantly positively correlated with hoarding. Attachment anxiety and sense of security individually mediate the effect of childhood environmental unpredictability on hoarding. Additionally, 'attachment anxiety--sense of security' and 'attachment avoidance--sense of security' serve as chain mediators in this relationship separately. This study offers insights into the cognitive-behavioral model of hoarding, highlighting the importance of life history theory in examining childhood environmental unpredictability's relationship with hoarding. It also integrates insights from the psychosocial acceleration theory into our comprehension of hoarding's development. Future research directions are also discussed.PMID:38452617 | DOI:10.1016/j.actpsy.2024.104198
Source: Acta Psychologica - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Source Type: research