Validation of the clutter image rating (CIR) scale among psychiatric outpatients in Singapore

BACKGROUND The Clutter Image Rating (CIR) Scale though extensively used to assess hoarding behavior, has mainly been validated in Western populations. METHODS The current study sought to validate the CIR in a sample of psychiatric outpatients (n = 500) in Singapore. Convergent and divergent validity as well as inter-observer reliabilities between participant CIR and interviewer-rated CIR were calculated. RESULTS The CIR performed fairly in identifying participants with and without hoarding problems according to the Savings Inventory Revised (SI-R). The CIR composite demonstrated good convergent validity with the SI-R clutter subscale, the SI-R total and the Activities of Daily Living Scale for Hoarding (ADL-H) scale and discriminant validity with the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire - Short Form (Q-LES-Q-SF) scale. CONCLUSIONS Findings add valuable knowledge to the utility of the CIR in an Asian population.