The Efficacy of Group Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for Perfectionism in an Anxiety Disorders Sample

Abstract

Perfectionism is a transdiagnostic process, and is significantly elevated across anxiety disorders, eating disorders, depression, and somatoform disorders. Clinically relevant perfectionism impedes functioning, and is significantly elevated across anxiety disorders, and interferes with successful treatment (Egan, Wade & Shafran, 2012). Cognitive-behavioural therapy for perfectionism (CBT-P) is effective in the treatment of perfectionism (Shafran, Coughtrey & Kothari, 2016). However, no research has examined the efficacy of group CBT-P in a targeted clinical sample. The proposed study will examine the efficacy of group CBT-P in a sample of individuals with anxiety or related disorders. The primary aim of this study is to determine whether CBT-P significantly reduces symptoms of perfectionism. The secondary aim of this study is to ascertain whether CBT-P leads to improvements in general distress and overall daily functioning. Participants (N = 24) with anxiety or a related disorder were referred to a 10 session CBT-P group at the Anxiety Treatment and Research Clinic at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton. They completed measures at pre and posttreatment of beliefs about perfectionism, perfectionistic behaviours, self-compassion, symptom severity, and functional impairment. Pre- and post-treatment scores were compared using paired samples t-tests. Participants demonstrated significant reductions in perfectionistic beliefs, t(23) = 4.31, p < .001; and behaviours, t(23) = 7.11, p < .001, as well as significant improvements in self-compassion, t(23) = 2.26, p = .033. Participants also showed marked improvements in symptom severity as measured by the DASS-21 total score, t(23)= 4.55, p < .001, but did not show significant improvements in functional impairment, t(23) = 1.26, p = .22. These preliminary findings suggest that group CBT-P is an effective therapeutic intervention for reducing perfectionism and overall symptom severity in a targeted anxiety disorders sample. Replication of these results is warranted in larger samples.