Perfectionism
Conditions
Keywords
perfectionism, mindfulness, self-criticism, group psychotherapy
Brief summary
The aim of this study is to confirm the feasibility of an integrative form of group psychotherapy in treating perfectionism. In a previous pilot study we suggested that this new treatment is safe and feasible, also reporting a significant reduction of perfectionism at final assessment. The intervention integrates the Paul Hewitt relational model of perfectionism and the Paul Gilbert Compassion Focused Therapy. We will explore the feasibility of the proposed group therapy through a three-arm waiting-list randomized controlled trial. Our hypothesis is that those in the treatment groups (either online or in presence format) will show at the end of the intervention a lower level of perfectionsm than those in the control group.
Detailed description
After being informed about the study and potential risks, all partecipants giving written informed consent will undergo a psychological assessment so as to determine eligibility for study entry. Patients who meet the eligibility requirements will be randomized in a double-blind manner in a 1:1 ratio to (i) new integrative group psychotherapy through an in presence format, (ii) the same integrative group psychotherapy through an online format, (iii) a waiting-list control group. At the end of active experimental groups treatment (2 months), all the partecipants will have access to the final follow-up assessment.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALMindful compassion for perfectionism
The intervention is a 8-week group psychotherapy in a hybrid format: 8 weekly online sessions lasting 2 hours plus an in presence half-day of silence lasting 4 hours.
Sponsors
Tages Onlus
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Masking description
The study design reflects an external, third-party evaluation. The evaluation team (i.e. the researcers conducting the analysis) will be independent from both the application vendor (i.e. the therapists conducting the intervention) and the recruitment team (i.e. the researchers recruiting and randomly allocating the participants).
Intervention model description
Pragmatic waiting-list randomized controlled trial with blinded outcome assessment
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 30 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Being aged between 18 and 30 * Reporting at least a clinically significant value at Multidimensional Perfectionsm Scale (at least one of the dimensions must have scores equal to or greater than the clinical population mean of the questionnaire manual)
Exclusion criteria
* Being diagnosed with neurodevelopmental or schizophrenia/psychosis spetrum disoders; * Being under either psychiatric or psychological treatment
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Feasibility (adverse events; adherence) | 2 measurements: one at baseline assessment; one at final assessment. Initial assessment will be 1 month priori the intervention, the final assessment at the end of the intervention (2 months after the beginning of the intervention). | Feasibility is defined on the basis of two criteria: absence of adverse events (i.e. dropouts; hospitalization; etc.) and adequate adherence (i.e. maximum 1 skipped session per participant) |
| Betwen-groups effectiveness (perfectionism) | 2 measurements: one at baseline assessment; one at final assessment. Initial assessment will be 1 month priori the intervention, the final assessment at the end of the intervention (2 months after the beginning of the intervention). | At the final assessment, the experimental group's Perfectionistic Cognitions Inventory (PCI) scores are significantly lower than those of the control group (the differences in the initial assessment must be insignificant). Higher scores of PCI (ranging between 0 to 100) are indicative of higher perfectionistic worry |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Withing-group effectiveness (perfectionism) | 2 measurements: one at baseline assessment; one at final assessment. Initial assessment will be 1 month priori the intervention, the final assessment at the end of the intervention (2 months after the beginning of the intervention). | In the experimental group the scores on the Perfectionistic Cognitions Inventory (PCI) must show a significant difference between initial and final assessment. Higher scores of PCI (ranging between 0 to 100) are indicative of higher perfectionistic worry |
Countries
Italy
Outcome results
None listed