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Related Experiment Videos

Clinical perfectionism: a cognitive-behavioural analysis.

Roz Shafran1, Zafra Cooper, Christopher G Fairburn

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Oxford University, UK. roz.shafran@psych.ox.ac.uk

Behaviour Research and Therapy
|June 21, 2002
PubMed
Summary
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Clinical perfectionism involves over-reliance on self-evaluation tied to demanding personal standards, even with negative outcomes. This pattern, often seen in eating disorders like anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, is maintained by biased self-assessment.

Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Psychopathology

Background:

  • Clinical perfectionism is a significant psychological construct.
  • Existing definitions may not fully capture its clinical implications.
  • Perfectionism is frequently associated with eating disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the characteristics of clinical perfectionism.
  • To propose a new, refined definition of clinical perfectionism.
  • To explore the relationship between perfectionism and eating disorders.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of clinical perfectionism characteristics.
  • Conceptual analysis to formulate a new definition.
  • Examination of the role of perfectionism in anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • A proposed definition: overdependence of self-evaluation on achieving self-imposed demanding standards, despite adverse consequences.
  • Perfectionism maintenance mechanisms include biased evaluation: self-criticism for failure, and raising standards after success.
  • Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are often direct expressions of perfectionism, particularly concerning control over eating, shape, and weight.

Conclusions:

  • The proposed definition offers a clearer understanding of clinically significant perfectionism.
  • Biased self-evaluation is a key mechanism in maintaining perfectionism.
  • Perfectionism is strongly linked to eating disorders, highlighting implications for research and clinical practice.