Authors: Glover, Dominic S.¹; Brown, Gary P.¹; Fairburn, Christopher G.²; Shafran, Roz²

Source: British Journal of Clinical Psychology, Volume 46, Number 1, March 2007 , pp. 85-94(10)

Abstract:

Objective. The construct of `clinical perfectionism' has been developed in response to criticisms that other approaches have failed to yield advances in the treatment of the type of self-oriented perfectionism that poses a clinical problem. The primary aim of this study was to conduct a preliminary investigation into the efficacy of a theory-driven, cognitive-behavioural intervention for `clinical perfectionism'.

Design. A multiple baseline single case series design was used.

Method. A specific, 10-session cognitive-behavioural intervention to address clinical perfectionism in eating disorders was adapted to allow its use in nine patients referred with a range of axis I disorders and clinical perfectionism.

Results. The intervention led to clinically significant improvements in self-referential perfectionism from pretreatment to follow-up for six of the nine participants on two perfectionism measures and for three of the nine participants on the measure of clinical perfectionism. Statistically significant improvements from pre- to post-intervention for the group as a whole were found on all three measures. The improvements were maintained at follow-up.

Conclusions. The finding that clinical perfectionism is improved in the majority of participants is particularly encouraging given that perfectionism has traditionally been viewed as a personality characteristic resistant to change. These preliminary findings warrant replication in a larger study.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1348/014466506X117388

Affiliations: 1: Royal Holloway University of London, UK 2: Oxford University Department of Psychiatry, Oxford, UK