An examination of direct, indirect and reciprocal relationships between perfectionism, eating disorder symptoms, anxiety, and depression in children and adolescents with eating disorders

A Systematic Review on the Psychological Effects of Perfectionism and Accompanying Treatment

“…According to the trait theory of personality, perfectionism is both a result of and the cause of a multitude of psychological disorders (Drieberg et al, 2019).…”

“…Perfectionism, as a trait and as a domain-specific construct, is found to be both a Psychology precursor and a result of a multitude of psychological disorders. The psychological impacts of maladaptive perfectionism have negative and far-reaching impacts on individuals and society (Drieberg et al, 2019;Habke & Flynn, 2002;Kehayes et al, 2019;Starley, 2019). Not only does perfectionism increase susceptibility to mental illness, but its insidious nature makes mental health diagnoses more challenging to manage when they are persistent and present (Hewitt & Flett, 2002).…”

“…Santos et al (2018) advanced the linkages of the multi-dimensional paradigm of perfectionism and highlighted that the family environment was a significant factor in both perfectionism and eating disorders. Drieberg et al (2019) emphasized the trans-diagnostic nature of depression and anxiety and perfectionism and posits that eating disorders can have both a direct and indirect relationship to perfectionism due to the bi-directionality of perfectionism and related disorders (Drieberg et al, 2019). Therefore, this information suggests a synergistic process of personality traits alongside the environment that links self-oriented perfectionism and its pernicious ruminative cognitive style.…”

The relationship between perfectionism and eating‐related symptoms in adolescents: A systematic review

“…Most studies suggested that PS in adolescent and children were related to higher levels of motivation, achievement, and well-being, while PC were associated with perceived stress (Shaheen & Zilli, 2013;Stoeber & Rambow, 2007). Despite the extensively reported data of the literature supporting the association between perfectionism and eating pathology in adolescents (e.g., Drieberg, McEvoy, Hoiles, Shu, & Egan, 2019), the role of the two sides of perfectionism in explain EDs in this specific developmental stage is not clear yet. Research on perfectionism in this population suggested that abnormal eating attitudes may be either related to PS or to PC, or to both dimensions (e.g., Bento et al, 2010;Boone, Soenens, & Braet, 2011;Flett et al, 2016).…”

Eating disorders, bipolar disorders and other mood disorders: complex and under-researched relationships

“…Furthermore, depressive symptoms may be more relevant to quality of life than the severity of eating disorder features [30]. While possible pathways of action include the relationship of mood and eating with perfectionism [31] and substance use disorders [32], the lack of intervention trials targeting comorbid eating disorders and mood disorders [33] makes it difficult to definitively identify why and how these features interact. However, many of the aforementioned authors advocate an approach that considers subtypes or phenotypes of eating disorders and mood disorders, rather than considering these to be homogenous groups.…”