An examination of early childhood perfectionism across anorexia nervosa subtypes

Abstract

Objective To examine childhood perfectionism in anorexia nervosa (AN) restricting (RAN), purging (PAN), and binge eating with or without purging (BAN) subtypes. Method The EATATE, a retrospective assessment of childhood perfectionism, and the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI-2) were administered to 728 AN participants. Results EATATE responses revealed General Childhood Perfectionism, 22.3% of 333 with RAN, 29.2% of 220 with PAN, and 24.8% of 116 with BAN; School Work Perfectionism, 31.2% with RAN, 30.4% with PAN, and 24.8% with BAN; Childhood Order and Symmetry, 18.7% with RAN, 21.7% with PAN, and 17.8% with BAN; and Global Childhood Rigidity, 42.6% with RAN, 48.3% with PAN and 48.1% with BAN. Perfectionism preceded the onset of AN in all subtypes. Significant associations between EDI-2 Drive for Thinness and Body Dissatisfaction were present with four EATATE subscales. Discussion Global Childhood Rigidity was the predominate feature that preceded all AN subtypes. This may be a risk factor for AN.

Perfectionism and Eating Disorders

“…Correlational studies have demonstrated that individuals with bulimia nervosa have significantly higher levels of perfectionism levels than healthy controls (Lilenfeld, Wonderlich, Riso, Crosby, & Mitchell, 2004). Retrospective case-control studies have also found significantly higher rates of childhood perfectionism in individuals with bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa than healthy controls (Fairburn, Cooper, Doll, & Welch, 1999;Fairburn, Welch, Doll, Davies, & O'Connor, 1997;Halmi et al, 2012). Childhood perfectionism is also recalled as being higher in individuals with anorexia nervosa compared to psychiatric controls (Pike et al, 2008;Machado, Gonçalves, Martins, Hoek, & Machado, 2014).…”

Nothing Tastes as Good as Skinny Feels: the Neurobiology of Anorexia Nervosa

“…Perfectionism is a risk factor for AN; high levels of perfectionism precede the onset of AN 32 and have been associated with poor recovery and shorter duration of remission. 33,34 Moreover, levels of perfectionism do not change with a reduction in the ED and comorbid psychiatric symptoms during recovery.…”

Perfectionism and cognitive rigidity in anorexia nervosa: Is there an association?

“…With more detail, evidence consistently showed self‐reported and performance‐based perfectionism as heightened in individuals with EDs (Lloyd, Yiend, Schmidt, & Tchanturia, ; Tchanturia, Lounes, & Holttum, ). Interestingly, research showed perfectionism not only as correlated with drive for thinness (DT) in patients with AN but also as preceding eating psychopathology in AN (Halmi et al, ).…”