Perfectionism and Anorexia Nervosa

Perfectionism and Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by restricted eating and severe preocupation with body image. Distorted self-image and severe self-induced starvation are often present in people with the condition. One of the traits associated with anorexia nervosa and pathological eating is perfectionism. Perfectionism is defined as the refusal to accept anything less than perfection. Philosophically speaking, to look at the humanities side of the coin, it is a doctrine that professes that spiritual and moral perfection are attainable. In regards to eating disorders, researchers have often pondered the question of who develops eating disorders and why. In their questioning and pondering of the subject, they found that perfectionism was a trait associated with anorexia nervosa. Many studies have been conducted to elucidate the topic, one of them discussed below.

Thus, Halmi et al. (2000) administered The Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale and the perfectionism subscale of the Eating Disorder inventory to 322 women. Participants had an history of anorexia nervosa and were also administered the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale and the Yale-Brown-Cornell Eating Disorder Scale. Indeed, the scientists found that perfectionism was a robustly associated character trait with anorexia nervosa, as per the scores achieved by participants with anorexia nervosa as compared to healthy controls. Thus, according to the stress diathesis model, perfectionism seems to be a variable predisposing individuals to anorexia nervosa.

Anorexia Nervosa. Illustration by Elena

Further, the study describes that individuals with the condition seem to be preoccupied to a greater degree than those without the illness with judgements about themselves uttered or held by others. Furthermore, such a state has been depicted in the literature for decades, starting with notes of physicians of times past. Other studies have consistently found greater perfectionism attributes and higher standard demands in persons prone to anorexia nervosa. Moreover, both anorexia nervosa and perfectionism seem to have some heritability, and therefore may be passed down by family members through generations.