Graduation Year

2023

Document Type

Campus Only Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Asian American Studies

Second Department

Psychology

Reader 1

Sharon Goto

Reader 2

Theodore Bartholomew

Abstract

This thesis aims to fill an important gap in current scholarship on hoarding disorder, particularly in Hong Kong. In situating hoarding behavior in Hong Kong against structures of dispossession, it seeks to understand the relationship between the two. It contextualizes and critically analyzes the intersections of mental health and sociopolitical factors. Specifically, it examines how Hongkongers may use hoarding tendencies as a form of navigating difficult traumatic experiences with dispossession in Hong Kong. This thesis proposes a study to investigate the relationship between traumatic dispossession and demographics (age, gender, and socioeconomic status) and hoarding severity. Self-report questionnaires will be used to measure these variables: the Saving Inventory-Revised (Frost RO, Steketee G, Grisham J, 2004) will measure hoarding symptom severity; the Trauma History Questionnaire (Green, 1996) will measure the occurrence, frequency, and age of experience in relation to traumatic dispossession events; an age and gender questionnaire will measure the two variables; and the Hollingshead Four Factor Index of Socioeconomic Status (Hollingshead, 1976) will measure socioeconomic status. A multiple regression analysis will be used to quantitatively collect data. It is anticipated that the following hypotheses will be supported by the data: H1: The experience of traumatic dispossession is significantly correlated with more severe hoarding behavior; H2: The frequency of dispossession trauma is associated with greater hoarding symptoms; H3: There is a significant relationship between age and traumatic dispossession or hoarding tendencies; H4: There is a significant relationship between gender and traumatic dispossession or hoarding tendencies; H5: There is a significant relationship between socioeconomic status and traumatic dispossession or hoarding tendencies. This research will offer significant implications for understanding and alleviating hoarding behavior exhibited in Hong Kong.

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This thesis is restricted to the Claremont Colleges current faculty, students, and staff.

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