The causal relationship between perfectionism and negative affect: Two experimental studies

Bidimensional Perfectionism and Psychological Distress: The Roles of Self-Esteem and Self-Compassion

“…Longitudinal studies also revealed that maladaptive perfectionism predicted increases in depressive symptoms in non-clinical samples (Smith et al, 2017), and the persistence of depressive symptoms in participants with depression (Enns & Cox, 2005;Hewitt et al, 1996). In one recent experiment, Hummel et al, (2023) experimentally induced maladaptive perfectionism and negative affect to test their possible bidirectional relationship. Results showed a unidirectional causal relationship from maladaptive perfectionism to negative affect, particularly in participants with high trait perfectionism.…”

Coming of age: A reflection of the first 21 years of cognitive behaviour therapy for perfectionism

“…It has proven difficult to experimentally induce perfectionism under laboratory conditions as inductions invariably confound perfectionism with responsibility and importance (Bouchard et al, 1999); efforts to do so indicate that inducing perfectionism increases symptoms of anxiety, depression and eating disorders (Boone et al, 2012;Yiend et al, 2011). Recent experimental studies have successfully induced perfectionistic concerns and indicated a causal relationship from perfectionistic concerns to negative affect in students with high levels of perfectionism (Hummel et al, 2023). The work of Stoeber and colleagues supports the view that perfectionistic standards are associated with counter-productive behaviours that reduce task efficiency (Stoeber, 2011;Stoeber & Eysenck, 2008).…”