Perfectionism: Theory, Research, and Treatment

Most of these 16 offerings by PhDs and MDs from the US and Canada focus on perfectionism as maladaptive. Topics include assessing and conceptualizing perfectionism, its development, the role of emotion, perfectionism's irrational and adaptive sides, and its link to stress and interpersonal problems. Case studies reveal a perfectionist husband who batters his wife and says his only mistake was his marriage, perfectionists who view their depression as a flaw and become more depressed, and that perfectionist who became a dandy, a procrastinator, and a superficial conversationalist lest any flaw be detected. Perfectionism can also figure in obsessive compulsive disorder, especially cleaning. The book is geared toward practitioners wanting to decrease perfectionism among clients. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)