Short report: Functional somatic symptoms are associated with perfectionism in adolescents

The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of perfectionism on functional somatic symptoms (FSSs) in adolescents. It was hypothesized that perfectionism predicts higher levels of FSSs cross-sectionally and longitudinally, and that anxiety and depression mediate this relationship.

This prospective population-based study was part of the Dutch Tracking Adolescents' Individual Lives Survey (N=2230; 50.8% girls). Data from 1878 participants attending the third (T3) or fourth (T4) assessment wave were used (mean age T3: 16.2 (SD:0.7); mean age T4: 19.0 (SD:0.6)). Multiple regression and mediation analyses were performed in Mplus.

FSSs, perfectionism (i.e. the feeling one has to be perfect), anxiety and depression were assessed with the Youth Self-Report at the third and fourth wave.

Perfectionism was associated with a higher level of FSSs in adolescents, both cross-sectionally (B=0.11, 95%-CI: 0.08-0.14) and longitudinally (B=0.05, 95%-CI: 0.02-0.08). There was a small indirect effect of perfectionism on FSSs trough anxiety and depression (B=0.02, 95%-CI: 0.003-0.03, k(2)=0.02).

The results suggest that perfectionism predicts the course of FSSs with a small indirect effect of perfectionism on FSSs trough anxiety and depression. Further research is needed to clarify which aspects of perfectionism are particularly responsible for this effect.