Computerized treatment of perfectionism through mistake making: A preliminary study

Abstract

Background and objectives: Perfectionism has important implications for self-worth, personal standards, and psychopathology. The aim of this study was to test the efficacy of a novel two-week, computerized, exposure-based treatment for perfectionism (ETP).

Methods: Seventy-one university students with elevated perfectionism were randomized to either the ETP group (n = 36) or the waitlist (WL) control group (n = 35). The ETP group was asked to complete the intervention at home, every three days for two weeks for a total of five treatment sessions. The tasks in the ETP condition were engineered to have participants repeatedly make mistakes. All participants returned two weeks after the baseline visit for a post-treatment assessment.

Results: Compared to WL, ETP led to lower overall perfectionism, concern over mistakes, personal standards, depressive symptoms, social anxiety symptoms, and error sensitivity at post-treatment. No effects of treatment were found on trait anxiety, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, or eating disorder symptoms.

Limitations: Participants were university students of similar age and education level, which restricts generalizability. Additionally, the study relied on a waitlist control condition.

Conclusions: This study provided preliminary evidence for a novel online intervention for perfectionism.

Keywords: Concern over mistakes; Exposure; Perfectionism; Treatment.