Perfectionism as a transdiagnostic process: Examining perfectionism as a risk factor for multiple types of psychopathology

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Barbara Cludius
• Subject Area: Personality Psychology, Clinical and Medical Psychology, Methodology
• Term: since 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 454996189

Perfectionism has been argued to be a transdiagnostic process. Per definition, a transdiagnostic process is one that is present across different diagnoses and is a risk and/or maintaining factor of different disorders. Previous research has confirmed that perfectionism is elevated across disorders. However, longitudinal research that would help to establish whether perfectionism indeed is a temporal antecedent of various disorders is rare. The few existing longitudinal studies have often focused on its role in predicting the development of one disorder at a time. Further, it is understudied how perfectionism leads to a certain type of psychopathology in one individual whereas another individual may develop different symptoms. Examining potential moderating variables that shape the path from perfectionism to a specific type of pathology may help to shed light on this issue. Therefore, in the current proposed project it is planned to conduct two studies to gain an understanding of perfectionism as a risk factor of two types of psychopathology, namely eating disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) psychopathology. Study 1 will use a longitudinal study design with a 12 months follow-up period and three assessment time points. It is intended to investigate perfectionism as a predictor of both eating disorder and OCD symptoms while accounting for the influence of two proposed moderating variables, namely body dissatisfaction (regarding eating disorder symptoms) and elevated responsibility (regarding OCD symptoms). Studies 2 and 3 will apply experimental designs. After a baseline assessment of perfectionism, the moderators body dissatisfaction (study 2) and responsibility (study 3) will be induced. The aim is to test the influence of the moderators on subsequent symptoms of eating disorders and OCD in interaction with perfectionism. It will be tested whether the respective psychopathology symptoms develop over a relatively short period of time of 24 hours after the induction. Results will be compared to respective control conditions which do not receive a moderator induction. Findings from the planned project may help to gain further insights on whether perfectionism indeed predicts various types of symptoms and can therefore be considered a transdiagnostic risk factor. Expanding knowledge on this aspect would help to derive and broaden conclusions on perfectionism as a central target to be addressed therapeutically when treating eating disorder and OCD symptoms. Further, extending knowledge on moderators of the association between perfectionism and psychopathology is relevant for prevention and treatment of specific symptoms in individuals high on perfectionism.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Australia, United Kingdom
• Co-Investigator: Professor Thomas Ehring, Ph.D.
• Cooperation Partners: Dr. Sarah Egan; Professorin Dr. Roz Shafran