A Brief Cognitive Behavioural Intervention for Maladaptive Perfectionism in Students: A Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Researchers focused on developing therapeutic strategies for perfectionism given its well-established link to the onset and maintenance of several mental disorders. Meta-analytical findings provided support for the efficacy of cognitive behavioural (CB) approaches. However, most studies have focused on the efficacy of interventions, without analysing their efficiency. AIMS: To explore the feasibility of a brief (five weekly sessions) CB group intervention focused on reducing perfectionistic concerns in Argentine students. We also aimed to identify participants who benefited from the intervention and to explore their differences with non-respondents. A third aim was to explore the potential merits of the intervention in a different cultural context as this is the first attempt to adapt an English-spoken protocol to the Spanish language. METHOD: A quasi-experimental design with two time points was used. Twenty-four out of 84 participants (mean age = 27.75 years, SD = 8.3) were classified as maladaptive perfectionists. RESULTS: Paired t-tests and reliable change index comparisons revealed that most students (75%) statistically and clinically reduced their levels of perfectionistic concerns as well as their perfectionistic strivings. General distress, operationalized as anxious and depressive symptoms, was also decreased. Students who completed and responded to the intervention were more dysfunctional in academic and psychological measures at baseline than non-completers and non-improvers. CONCLUSIONS: Findings support the feasibility, preliminary efficacy and efficiency of this five weekly session intervention when applied to a sample of Argentine university students.

La relación entre las dimensiones del perfeccionismo y la ansiedad frente a los exámenes en estudiantes de Psicología argentinos / The relationship between the dimensions of perfectionism and test anxiety in Argentine psychology students

Si bien el perfeccionismo (en sus dimensiones positivas y negativas) y la ansiedad frente a los exámenes se han estudiado por separado en el contexto universitario, ha sido relativamente escaso el aporte conjunto realizado al respecto en la bibliografía actual a pesar de existir evidentes vínculos conceptuales entre ambos. Teniendo en cuenta la existencia de medidas validadas y fiables en Argentina acerca de ambos constructos, se procedió a investigar dicha relación en una muestra de 102 estudiantes (86 mujeres) a través de un análisis de regresión lineal múltiple. Los resultados indicaron que la dimensión negativa del perfeccionismo, operacionalizada como discrepancia, obtuvo una capacidad predictiva del 38% en la variabilidad de la ansiedad frente a los exámenes. Las dimensiones positivas de perfeccionismo, a su vez, no demostraron capacidad explicativa. Estos resultados son discutidos en términos conceptuales y se sugieren aplicaciones clínicas de los mismos

Perfectionism (adaptive and maladaptive) and test anxiety have been studied separately in the university realm, and there is a paucity of published research examining their relationship, despite evident conceptual links. Since valid and reliable instruments for assessing both constructs are available in Argentina, the relationship between perfectionism and test anxiety was investigated in a sample of 102 students (86 females) through multiple linear regression analysis. Results indicated that the negative dimension of perfectionism, operationalised as a discrepancy, yielded a predictive capacity of 38% in the variability of test anxiety. However, the positive dimensions of perfectionism showed no explanatory power. These results are discussed in terms of their conceptual and clinical implications

[Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and the 'Third Wave' of Cognitive-Bahavioral Therapies (CBT)]. / Terapia Cognitiva basada en Atención Plena (mindfulness) y la 'tercera ola' en Terapias Cognitivo-Conductuales.

The paper presents the reasons that led to the incorporation of mindfulness as part of a cognitive therapy approach to the prevention of relapse of recurrent depressive disorders. It describes the context in which models focused on the contents of cognition gave way to models focused on cognitive processes. We highlight the problems encountered by the standard cognitive model when trying to account for the cognitive vulnerability of individuals who, having experienced a depressive episode, are in remission. We briefly describe the theoretical foundations of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and its therapeutic approach.