Publication Spotlight: Dr. Mary Dozier

At APF, our mission is to invest in innovative research and applications that prioritize people and their wellbeing. We believe that every research project we fund has the potential to advance the field of psychology and meaningfully impact peoples’ lives.

We’re proud to showcase the success of APF-funded research through our Publication Spotlight. The journey from initial research to publication is a major achievement, representing years of hard work and dedication. These publications mark significant milestones in our recipients’ careers and highlight the impact of APF’s support.

Each publication that has been supported by APF represents a step forward in our mission. From receiving initial APF funding to sharing these important findings with the world, these projects will shape future research, guide best practices and inform policy, allowing psychology to broaden its impact on the world.

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Dr. Mary Dozier (She/Her)
2021 Walter Katkovsky Research Grant
“Motivational Interviewing to Enhance Behavioral Change in Older Adults with Hoarding Disorder: A Pilot Study”

Article
“Personality Profile of Rural-Dwelling Older Adults With Hoarding Disorder”

Journal
Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Abstract
Hoarding in late life represents a major barrier to aging in place, particularly for rural-dwelling older adults. One risk factor for hoarding disorder in late life could be underlying personality factors. However, there has not yet been an investigation of late life hoarding and possible maladaptive personality factors from the continuous five-factor model perspective in a sample of individuals diagnosed with hoarding disorder. Thus, we evaluated the five-factor personality profiles of older adults enrolled in treatment studies for hoarding disorder in rural Mississippi. Raw scores on the International Personality Item Pool-NEO-60 were converted into categories of Low (< 1 SD from the mean), Average (within 1 SD of the mean), and High (> 1 SD from the mean) using a comparison sample of gender-matched older adults. At the domain level, participants disproportionally reported high levels of Extraversion and Agreeableness and low levels of Conscientiousness. At the facet level, participants reported elevated levels of Anxiety and decreased levels of Self-Consciousness in the Neuroticism domain. For Conscientiousness, participants reported disproportionately low levels of the facets Orderliness and Cautiousness and high levels of Achievement-Striving. Treatment-seeking older adults with hoarding disorder, particularly those living in the Deep South, have a unique personality profile at the facet-level that should be incorporated into assessment and treatment of this often debilitating disorder.

Dozier, M. E., Nix, C. A., & DeShong, H. L. (2024). Personality Profile of Rural-Dwelling Older Adults With Hoarding Disorder. Journal of Public Health in the Deep South, 4(1), 5. DOI: https://doi.org/10.55533/29966833.1086

Article
“Home-based motivational interviewing for late-life rural hoarding disorder: a pilot study”

Journal
Aging & Mental Health

Abstract
The primary purpose of this pilot study was to determine the feasibility and acceptability of a novel brief (six-session) motivational interviewing home-based intervention for hoarding disorder designed for rural older adults. The secondary aims were to examine the engagement of proposed mechanisms of change and the preliminary efficacy of symptom reduction. Fifteen rural-dwelling older adults were enrolled in the pilot trial for Project RECLAIM (Reduce Clutter and Increase Meaning). Engagement of proposed mechanisms of change was assessed weekly for reported engagement in sorting/discarding behaviors and from baseline to post-treatment on readiness for change and motivation. Symptom reduction was assessed from baseline to post-treatment on hoarding symptoms and general psychological functioning. Sixty percent of participants completed all six sessions of RECLAIM. Over the course of treatment, participants reported significant decreases in household clutter (d = −0.85) and object attachment (d = −1.01) and increases in positive affect (d = 0.71), readiness for change (d = 0.40) and motivation (d = 0.52), and sorting between sessions (ß = 3.82). The significant reductions in hoarding symptoms after only six sessions of treatment suggest that a brief, in-home, intervention may be a viable option for symptom reduction, particularly for rural-dwelling older adults.

Dozier, M. E., & Nix, C. A. (2024). Home-based motivational interviewing for late-life rural hoarding disorder: a pilot study. Aging & Mental Health, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2024.2394577

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