Changes in perfectionism following cognitive-behavioral treatment for social phobia

• Published in: Depression and anxiety Vol. 24; no. 3; pp. 169 - 177
• Main Authors: Ashbaugh, Andrea, Antony, Martin M., Liss, Andrea, Summerfeldt, Laura J., McCabe, Randi E., Swinson, Richard P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 2007
• Subjects: Adult; Cognitive Therapy - methods; cognitive-behavioral therapy; Demography; Depressive Disorder, Major - diagnosis; Depressive Disorder, Major - epidemiology; Depressive Disorder, Major - psychology; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; Female; Humans; Male; perfectionism; Personality Disorders - diagnosis; Personality Disorders - etiology; Personality Disorders - psychology; Phobic Disorders - epidemiology; Phobic Disorders - psychology; Phobic Disorders - therapy; Severity of Illness Index; social anxiety disorder; social phobia; Surveys and Questionnaires
• ISSN: 1091-4269; 1520-6394
• DOI: 10.1002/da.20219

Previous studies have found that social phobia (social anxiety disorder) is associated with elevated levels of perfectionism, particularly concerns over making mistakes (CM) and doubts about actions (DA). This study investigated the extent to which various dimensions of perfectionism change as a result of participating in a 12‐session cognitive‐behavioral group treatment for social phobia. One hundred seven individuals completed the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale before and after treatment. Participants improved on several measures of social anxiety, generalized anxiety, and depression. With respect to perfectionism, significant reductions were seen on total perfectionism scores and scores on particular dimensions (CM, DA, organization), but not on other dimensions (personal standards, parental expectations, parental criticism). Furthermore, changes in DA and to some extent CM predicted posttreatment levels of social anxiety after controlling for pretreatment levels of social anxiety and changes in anxiety and depression. Implications of these findings are discussed. Depression and Anxiety 24:169–177, 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.