The relationship between early life adversity and hoarding: A life history perspective

Abstract This study aimed to explore the relationship between early life adversity and hoarding among college students, as well as to investigate its underlying mechanisms through two sub‐studies. Study 1 recruited 1186 college students to complete questionnaires. The results of mediation analysis revealed that early life adversity not only directly predicted hoarding behaviour but also increased hoarding behaviour by promoting faster life history strategy. Furthermore, the results of structural equation modelling (SEM) showed that faster life history strategy only positively predicted difficulty discarding. cruited 140 college students and measured the changes in life history strategy responses and hoarding tendencies under manipulated perceived environmental harshness. The results showed that perceiving the environment as harsher produced faster life history strategy responses and increased difficulty discarding, which validated the findings of Study 1. Overall, this research, based on the perspective of life history theory, demonstrates the significant mechanistic role of faster life history strategy in the relationship between early life adversity and hoarding. These findings offer several practical implications for mitigating hoarding behaviours.