Normal and neurotic perfectionism in eating disorders: an interactive model

Previous nonclinical research found that both normal (or adaptive) and neurotic (or maladaptive) perfectionism were related, in the positive direction, to attitudes and behaviors associated with eating disorders. However, based on a related body of research, it was hypothesized that these two aspects of perfectionism would relate to body esteem in an interactive rather than an additive fashion.

Anorexic and bulimic patients (n = 123) were assessed on multidimensional aspects of perfectionism, neuroticism, and body esteem.

Predictions were confirmed. Normal perfectionism was positively associated with body esteem, but only when levels of neurotic perfectionism were low. Conversely, body-image disparagement was most pronounced when normal and neurotic perfectionism were both elevated.

These findings demonstrate that the interpretation of simple relationships among personality variables--at least in the area of body image and eating disorder research--may provide a misleading picture.