Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Treatment Interventions for Perfectionism—A Cognitive Perspective: Introduction to the Special Issue

  • Introduction
  • Published:
Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The current article provides an overview of the papers included in this special issue and includes a discussion of key issues pertaining to psychological treatments for perfectionism. We describe and review two new treatment intervention studies in this special issue that focus on perfectionism in university students as well as other contemporary research on the use of cognitive-behavioral therapy to treat perfectionists. While the significant reductions in levels of perfectionism as a result of treatment are noteworthy, we caution that perfectionism is a relatively enduring trait; thus, some perfectionists will remain treatment resistant and overall levels of perfectionism may remain relatively high even when significant improvements are realized. Moreover, we discuss the established tendency for perfectionism to be associated with residual symptoms of distress following treatment. As part of our discussion of the other articles in this special issue, we highlight cognitive factors of likely significance in the treatment of perfectionism, including the ruminative response style, the tendency to experience perfectionistic automatic thoughts, and the role of core irrational beliefs in the development of perfectionism. These articles underscore the need to consider key cognitive factors that are central to dysfunctional forms of perfectionism.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Arpin-Cribbie, C. A., Irvine, J., Ritvo, P., Cribbie, R. A., Flett, G. L., & Hewitt, P. L. (2008). Perfectionism and psychological distress: A modeling approach to understanding their therapeutic relationship. Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy.

  • Ashbaugh, A., Antony, M. M., Liss, A., Summerfeldt, L. J., McCabe, R. E., & Swinson, R. P. (2007). Changes in perfectionism following cognitive-behavioral treatment for social phobia. Depression and Anxiety, 169–177.

  • Besser, A., Flett, G. L., & Hewitt, P. L. (2004). Perfectionism, cognition, and affect in response to performance failure vs. success. Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 22, 301–328.

    Google Scholar 

  • Besser, A., Flett, G. L., Hewitt, P. L., & Guez, J. (2008). Perfectionism and cognitions, affect, self-esteem, and physiological reactions in a performance situation.

  • Blankstein, K. R., & Lumley, C. H. (2008). Multidimensional perfectionism and ruminative brooding in current dysphoria, anxiety, worry, and anger. Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy.

  • Blatt, S. J., & Zuroff, D. C. (2002). In G. L. Flett & P. L. Hewitt (Eds.), Perfectionism: Theory, research, and treatment (pp. 393–406). Washington: American Psychological Association Press.

  • Cox, B. J., & Enns, M. W. (2003). Relative stability of dimensions of perfectionism in depression. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 35, 124–132.

    Google Scholar 

  • Enns, M. W., Cox, B. J., & Pidlubny, S. R. (2002). Group cognitive behaviour therapy for residual depression: Effectiveness and predictors of response. Cognitive Behavior Therapy, 31, 31–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flett, G. L., Hewitt, P. L., Blankstein, K. R., & Gray, L. (1998). Psychological distress and the frequency of perfectionistic thinking. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75, 1363–1381.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Flett, G. L., Hewitt, P. L., & Cheng, W. M. W. (2008). Perfectionism, distress, and irrational beliefs in high school students: Analyses with an abbreviated Survey of Personal Beliefs for adolescents. Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy.

  • Frost, R. O., Marten, P., Lahart, C., & Rosenblate, R. (1990). The dimensions of perfectionism. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 14, 449–468.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frost, R. O., Turcotte, T., Heimberg, R. G., & Mattia, J. I. (1995). Reactions to mistakes among subjects high and low in perfectionistic concern over mistakes. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 19, 195–205.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glover, D. S., Brown, G. P., Fairburn, C. G., & Shafran, R. (2007). A preliminary evaluation of cognitive-behavior therapy for clinical perfectionism: A case series. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 46, 85–94.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Harris, S., Davies, M. F., & Dryden, W. (2006). An experimental test of a core REBT hypothesis: Evidence that irrational beliefs lead to physiological as well as psychological arousal. Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 24, 113–124.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hewitt, P. L., Flett, G. L., Ediger, E., Norton, G. R., & Flynn, C. A. (1998). Perfectionism in chronic and state symptoms of depression. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 30, 234–242.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kutlesa, N. (2002). A group intervention with university students who experience difficulties with perfectionism. Doctoral dissertation, University of Calgary.

  • Kutlesa, N., & Arthur, N. (2008). Overcoming negative aspects of perfectionism through group treatment. Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy.

  • McCown, W. G., & Carlson, G. (2004). Narcissism, perfectionism, and self-termination from treatment in outpatient cocaine users. Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 22, 329–339.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pleva, J., & Wade, T. D. (2006). Guided self-help versus pure self-help for perfectionism: A randomized controlled trial. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 45, 849–861.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sherry, S. B., Hewitt, P. L., Flett, G. L., Lee-Baggeley, D. L., & Hall, P. A. (2007). Trait perfectionism and perfectionistic self-presentation in personality pathology. Personality and Individual Differences, 42, 477–490.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zuroff, D. C., Blatt, S. J., Sotksky, S.M., Krupnick, J. L., Martin, D. J., Sanislow, C.A., & Simmons, S. (2000) Relation of therapeutic alliance and perfectionism to outcome in brief outpatient treatment of depression. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 68, 114–124.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This article was supported by major research grants from Health Canada and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canada to the first two authors, and a Canada Research Chair in Personality and Health awarded to the first author.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON, Canada, M3J 1P3

    Gordon L. Flett

  2. Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z4

    Paul L. Hewitt

Authors
  1. Gordon L. Flett
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Paul L. Hewitt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gordon L. Flett.

Additional information

This special issue on perfectionism is the third special issue on this topic to appear in the Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy under the editorialship of Windy Dryden. We are very grateful for the continuing opportunity in this journal to explore issues related to the cognitive and treatment aspects of perfectionism.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Flett, G.L., Hewitt, P.L. Treatment Interventions for Perfectionism—A Cognitive Perspective: Introduction to the Special Issue. J Rat-Emo Cognitive-Behav Ther 26, 127–133 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10942-007-0063-4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10942-007-0063-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation