Exposure-Based Treatment for Perfectionism

A Preliminary Evaluation of an Exposure-Based Treatment for Perfectionism

This study is examining the efficacy of a computerized, exposure-based, intervention for perfectionism.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Perfectionism
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Exposure-based Treatment for Perfectionism (ETP)

Detailed Description

The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of a two-week computerized exposure-based treatment for perfectionism (ETP). Individuals with elevated perfectionism will be randomly assigned to ETP or a waitlist (WL) control condition. ETP will consist of three tasks in which they will repeatedly make mistakes, repeated for five sessions over a two-week period (one session every 3 days).

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 76
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Florida
    • Tallahassee, Florida, United States, 32306
      • Florida State University, Department of Psychology

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 16 years to 63 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Score of at least 29 on the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale- Concern over Mistakes subscale

Exclusion Criteria:

• Current moderate or severe substance use disorder, psychotic disorder, or bipolar disorder
• Current suicidal ideation (imminent risk)
• Currently participating in psychotherapy
• Any changes to psychotropic medications in the past four weeks

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Intervention; This arm consists of a 2-week computerized, exposure-based intervention. Treatment sessions are completed every 3 days at home (5 treatment sessions total).	Behavioral: Exposure-based Treatment for Perfectionism (ETP); Three tasks focused on exposures are completed. Each treatment session is approximately twenty minutes.
No Intervention: Wait-List Control; Participants in this condition will not receive treatment.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (FMPS)- Concern Over Mistakes Subscale	Self-report questionnaire examining levels of perfectionism. The concern over mistakes sub-scale of the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale includes 9 items with scores on the sub-scale ranging from 9 to 45 (higher scores signify higher levels of concern over mistakes). The concern over mistakes sub-scale includes the following items from the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale: 9, 10, 13, 14, 18, 21, 23, 25, 24. Item scores are summed for a total sub-scale score.	Levels of perfectionism from baseline to post treatment (2 weeks)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D)	Self-report measure used to assess depressive symptoms. Total scores range from 0 to 60 with higher scores indicating a higher level of depressive symptoms.	Depression symptoms from baseline to post treatment (2 weeks)
State-Trait Inventory for Cognitive and Somatic Anxiety-Trait Version (STICSA-T)	Self-report measure used to assess overall anxiety symptoms. Scores range from 21 to 84 with higher scores indicating higher levels of overall anxiety.	Anxiety symptoms from baseline to post treatment (2 weeks)
Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN)	Self-report scale that measures Social anxiety symptoms. Scores range from 0 to 68 with higher scores indicating higher levels of social anxiety symptoms.	Social anxiety symptoms from baseline to post treatment (2 weeks)
Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26)	Self-report scale that measures eating disorder symptoms. Scores range from 0 to 78 with higher scores indicating higher levels of eating disorder symptoms.	Eating disorder symptoms from baseline to post treatment (2 weeks)
Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory- Revised (OCI-R)	Self-report scale that measures obsessive-compulsiveness. Scores range from 0 to 72 with higher scores indicating higher levels of obsessive-compulsiveness.	Obsessive-compulsiveness from baseline to post treatment (2 weeks)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Florida State University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 3, 2019
• Primary Completion (Actual): February 26, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): February 26, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 3, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 3, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): August 5, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 27, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 25, 2023
• Last Verified: July 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: HSC2019.27351

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No