Hoarding Rating Scale
Please use the following scale when answering items below:
0= no problem
2= mild problem, occasionally (less than weekly) acquires items not needed, or
acquires a few unneeded items
4= moderate, regularly (once or twice weekly) acquires items not needed, or acquires some unneeded items
6 = severe, frequently (several times per week) acquires items not needed, or acquires many unneeded items
8 = extreme, very often (daily) acquires items not needed, or acquires large numbers of unneeded items
1. Because of the clutter or number of possessions, how difficult is it for you to use the rooms
in your home?
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Not at all
Mild
Moderate
Severe
Extremely Difficult
Difficult
2. To what extent do you have difficulty discarding (or recycling, selling, giving away) ordinary things that other people would get rid of?
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Not at all
Mild
Moderate
Severe
Extreme difficulty
Difficulty
3. To what extent do you currently have a problem with collecting free things or buying more things than you need or can use or can afford?
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
None
Mild
Moderate
Severe
Extreme
4. To what extent do you experience emotional distress because of clutter, difficulty discarding or problems with buying or acquiring things?
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
None/
Mild
Moderate
Severe
Extreme
Not at all
5. To what extent do you experience impairment in your life (daily routine, job / school, social
activities, family activities, financial difficulties) because of clutter, difficulty discarding, or
problems with buying or acquiring things?
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
None/Mild
Moderate
Severe
Extreme
Not at all
Interpretation of HRS Total Scores
(Tolin et al., 2010)
Mean for Nonclinical samples: HRS Total = 3.34; standard deviation = 4.97.
Mean for people with hoarding problems: HRS Total = 24.22; standard deviation = 5.67.
Analysis of sensitivity and specificity suggest an HRS Total clinical cutoff score of 14.
Criteria for Clinically Significant Hoarding:
(Tolin et al., 2008)
A score of 4 or greater on questions 1 and 2, and a score of 4 or greater on either question 4 or question 5.
Tolin, D.F., Frost, R.O., Steketee, G., Gray, K.D., & Fitch, K.E. (2008). The economic and social burden of compulsive hoarding. Psychiatry Research, 160, 200
211.
Tolin, D.F., Frost, R.O., & Steketee, G. (2010). A brief interview for assessing compulsive
hoarding: The Hoarding Rating Scale
Interview.
Psychiatry Research, 178, 147
152