Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Temperament of perfectionism in anorexia nervosa

William R. Yates, MD
Conditions
December 6, 2010
Share
Tweet
Share

Temperament is generally defined as innate early emotional and behavioral characteristics that precede puberty and adult development.  Felt to have significant genetic components, temperament is also potentially influenced by environmental factors.

There are a variety of temperament domains that have received significant attention in childhood, adolescent and adult populations.

Some of the most commonly studied domains include:

  • neuroticism
  • harm avoidance
  • novelty seeking
  • reward dependence
  • perfectionism (subdomains have included: concern about mistakes, personal standards, doubts about actions, organization

The temperament of perfectionism has been noted to be elevated in clinical samples of women with anorexia nervosa (AN).  AN has been conceptualized as an overvalued importance of being in control over eating and weight.  Control is a key element of perfectionism as it relates to reducing risk of mistakes and maintaining organization).  Previous studies looking at perfectionism in AN have had limited potential to understand the direction of the relationship between temperament and the diagnosis of AN.  Perfectionism could develop after the illness in response to weight loss or other factors.

Wade, et al. published a study using the Australian twin registry that helps address the issue of direction of effect as well as the potential mechanism for perfectionism to increased AN risk.  In this study, the classic twin genetic methodology was used.  Perfectionism was evaluated as a risk factor along with a variety of of other temperament domains.  The key findings from the study included:

  • Anorexia nervosa subjects showed increased concerns about personal standards, making mistakes and doubts about actions
  • Anorexia nervosa temperament factors linked to genetic mechanism include perfectionism subdomain of personal standards

Significant argument had occurred about how perfectionism might be involved in contributing to risk of AN.  High standards typically has been considered a benign component of perfectionism.  But experimental studies that manipulated personal standards in nonclinical populations have shown this to lead to increases in dietary restraint and regret after eating.  The authors conclude: “Results of the current study would suggest that it is the setting of high standards and goals, rather than self-criticism when goals are not obtained that predisposes people to AN.”  Perfectionism acts as risk factor for AN only in presence of other risk factors (i.e. low self-esteem, body dissatisfaction).

So setting high personal standards (i.e. academic goals, athletic achievement,  low body weight) is not independently a problem.  But when high personal standards are accompanied by other psychological vulnerabilities, problems can develop.  Personal standards can be benign (and productive in many ways) but they can not be considered benign for all.

Better understanding of the personal standards temperament (and cofactors for dysfunctional behavior) that precede AN may provide pathways for prevention as well as treatment.

William Yates is a family physician who blogs at Brain Posts.

Submit a guest post and be heard.

Prev

$11,000 hospital bill from the emergency department

December 6, 2010 Kevin 75
…
Next

10 most expensive errors in healthcare settings

December 6, 2010 Kevin 18
…

Tagged as: Specialist

Post navigation

< Previous Post
$11,000 hospital bill from the emergency department
Next Post >
10 most expensive errors in healthcare settings

ADVERTISEMENT

More by William R. Yates, MD

  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    Exercise can help treat fibromyalgia

    William R. Yates, MD
  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    How autism affects social interaction

    William R. Yates, MD
  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    Google affects how clinicians and the public collect diagnostic information

    William R. Yates, MD

More in Conditions

  • Clinical ghosts and why they haunt our exam rooms

    Kara Wada, MD
  • High blood pressure’s hidden impact on kidney health in older adults

    Edmond Kubi Appiah, MPH
  • How declining MMR vaccination rates put future generations at risk

    Ambika Sharma, Onyi Oligbo, and Katrina Green, MD
  • How one unforgettable ER patient taught a nurse about resilience

    Kristen Cline, BSN, RN
  • Why regular exercise is the best prescription for lifelong health

    George F. Smith, MD
  • When the weight won’t budge: the hidden physiology of grief, stress, and set point

    Sarah White, APRN
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Who gets to be well in America: Immigrant health is on the line

      Joshua Vasquez, MD | Policy
    • Why specialist pain clinics and addiction treatment services require strong primary care

      Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD | Conditions
    • Harassment and overreach are driving physicians to quit

      Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD | Physician
    • Why peer support can save lives in high-pressure medical careers

      Maire Daugharty, MD | Conditions
    • When a medical office sublease turns into a legal nightmare

      Ralph Messo, DO | Physician
    • Addressing menstrual health inequities in adolescents

      Callia Georgoulis | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • Forced voicemail and diagnosis codes are endangering patient access to medications

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Meds
    • How President Biden’s cognitive health shapes political and legal trust

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Conditions
    • Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The One Big Beautiful Bill and the fragile heart of rural health care

      Holland Haynie, MD | Policy
    • Who gets to be well in America: Immigrant health is on the line

      Joshua Vasquez, MD | Policy
    • Why “do no harm” might be harming modern medicine

      Sabooh S. Mubbashar, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • The shocking risk every smart student faces when applying to medical school

      Curtis G. Graham, MD | Physician
    • Clinical ghosts and why they haunt our exam rooms

      Kara Wada, MD | Conditions
    • High blood pressure’s hidden impact on kidney health in older adults

      Edmond Kubi Appiah, MPH | Conditions
    • Deep transcranial magnetic stimulation for depression [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How declining MMR vaccination rates put future generations at risk

      Ambika Sharma, Onyi Oligbo, and Katrina Green, MD | Conditions
    • The physician who turned burnout into a mission for change

      Jessie Mahoney, MD | Physician

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 2 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Who gets to be well in America: Immigrant health is on the line

      Joshua Vasquez, MD | Policy
    • Why specialist pain clinics and addiction treatment services require strong primary care

      Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD | Conditions
    • Harassment and overreach are driving physicians to quit

      Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD | Physician
    • Why peer support can save lives in high-pressure medical careers

      Maire Daugharty, MD | Conditions
    • When a medical office sublease turns into a legal nightmare

      Ralph Messo, DO | Physician
    • Addressing menstrual health inequities in adolescents

      Callia Georgoulis | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • Forced voicemail and diagnosis codes are endangering patient access to medications

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Meds
    • How President Biden’s cognitive health shapes political and legal trust

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Conditions
    • Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The One Big Beautiful Bill and the fragile heart of rural health care

      Holland Haynie, MD | Policy
    • Who gets to be well in America: Immigrant health is on the line

      Joshua Vasquez, MD | Policy
    • Why “do no harm” might be harming modern medicine

      Sabooh S. Mubbashar, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • The shocking risk every smart student faces when applying to medical school

      Curtis G. Graham, MD | Physician
    • Clinical ghosts and why they haunt our exam rooms

      Kara Wada, MD | Conditions
    • High blood pressure’s hidden impact on kidney health in older adults

      Edmond Kubi Appiah, MPH | Conditions
    • Deep transcranial magnetic stimulation for depression [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How declining MMR vaccination rates put future generations at risk

      Ambika Sharma, Onyi Oligbo, and Katrina Green, MD | Conditions
    • The physician who turned burnout into a mission for change

      Jessie Mahoney, MD | Physician

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Temperament of perfectionism in anorexia nervosa
2 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...