Impact of maladaptive perfectionism on mental health and the role of cognitive behavioral therapy: a narrative review

Perfectionism is a personality trait that can be strongly valued in many professional environments, such as the medical field. However, when maladaptive, is potentially harmful to the mental and physical health of individuals. In addition, it should be considered that, under a transdiagnostic appro...

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Main Authors: Karen Regina Rosso Schons, Alexei Gil, Bruna Natalie Dacroce Fasolo, Luiza Martins Barbosa, Marina Pimentel Beber de Mattos, Vinicius Ferreira Lacerda dos Santos
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Associação Brasileira de Psiquiatria (ABP) 2025-06-01
Series:Debates em Psiquiatria
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Online Access:https://revistardp.org.br/revista/article/view/1452
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author Karen Regina Rosso Schons
Alexei Gil
Bruna Natalie Dacroce Fasolo
Luiza Martins Barbosa
Marina Pimentel Beber de Mattos
Vinicius Ferreira Lacerda dos Santos
author_facet Karen Regina Rosso Schons
Alexei Gil
Bruna Natalie Dacroce Fasolo
Luiza Martins Barbosa
Marina Pimentel Beber de Mattos
Vinicius Ferreira Lacerda dos Santos
author_sort Karen Regina Rosso Schons
collection DOAJ
description Perfectionism is a personality trait that can be strongly valued in many professional environments, such as the medical field. However, when maladaptive, is potentially harmful to the mental and physical health of individuals. In addition, it should be considered that, under a transdiagnostic approach to psychiatry, perfectionism can be a factor in psychiatric disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, hoarding disorder and body dysmorphic disorder. In addition, clinical perfectionism correlates with social disconnection, rumination, low levels of self-confidence, depressive and anxious symptoms, as well as self-harm and suicidal ideation. Therefore, identifying maladaptive perfectionist behaviors in psychiatric patients can enable a more comprehensive approach to these patients, ultimately contributing to a reduction in their mental suffering. In this context, cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy has established itself as the main approach for the prevention, early intervention and transdiagnostic treatment of patients affected by maladaptive perfectionism.
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language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Associação Brasileira de Psiquiatria (ABP)
record_format Article
series Debates em Psiquiatria
spelling doaj-art-9b0d29e067314ee39760e80c783d9da32025-08-20T02:32:08ZengAssociação Brasileira de Psiquiatria (ABP)Debates em Psiquiatria2236-918X2763-90372025-06-011510.25118/2763-9037.2025.v15.1452Impact of maladaptive perfectionism on mental health and the role of cognitive behavioral therapy: a narrative reviewKaren Regina Rosso Schons0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9125-2128Alexei Gil1https://orcid.org/0009-0008-8174-5720Bruna Natalie Dacroce Fasolo2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3043-530XLuiza Martins Barbosa3https://orcid.org/0009-0005-1386-5067Marina Pimentel Beber de Mattos4https://orcid.org/0009-0007-8016-8573Vinicius Ferreira Lacerda dos Santos5https://orcid.org/0009-0003-2686-1802Especializanda, Psiquiatria e Psicoterapia, Fundação Universitária Mario Martins, FUMM, Porto Alegre, RS, BrasilPreceptor, Serviço de Psiquiatria e Psicoterapia, Fundação Universitária Mario Martins, FUMM, Porto Alegre, RS, BrasilEspecializanda, Psiquiatria, Fundação Universitária Mario Martins, FUMM, Porto Alegre, RS, BrasilEspecializanda, Psiquiatria, Fundação Universitária Mario Martins, FUMM, Porto Alegre, RS, BrasilEspecializanda, Psiquiatria, Fundação Universitária Mario Martins, FUMM, Porto Alegre, RS, BrasilEspecializando, Psiquiatria, Fundação Universitária Mario Martins, FUMM, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil Perfectionism is a personality trait that can be strongly valued in many professional environments, such as the medical field. However, when maladaptive, is potentially harmful to the mental and physical health of individuals. In addition, it should be considered that, under a transdiagnostic approach to psychiatry, perfectionism can be a factor in psychiatric disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, hoarding disorder and body dysmorphic disorder. In addition, clinical perfectionism correlates with social disconnection, rumination, low levels of self-confidence, depressive and anxious symptoms, as well as self-harm and suicidal ideation. Therefore, identifying maladaptive perfectionist behaviors in psychiatric patients can enable a more comprehensive approach to these patients, ultimately contributing to a reduction in their mental suffering. In this context, cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy has established itself as the main approach for the prevention, early intervention and transdiagnostic treatment of patients affected by maladaptive perfectionism. https://revistardp.org.br/revista/article/view/1452PsychiatryPsychotherapycognitive behavioral therapypsychological distressmental healthperfectionism
spellingShingle Karen Regina Rosso Schons
Alexei Gil
Bruna Natalie Dacroce Fasolo
Luiza Martins Barbosa
Marina Pimentel Beber de Mattos
Vinicius Ferreira Lacerda dos Santos
Impact of maladaptive perfectionism on mental health and the role of cognitive behavioral therapy: a narrative review
Debates em Psiquiatria
Psychiatry
Psychotherapy
cognitive behavioral therapy
psychological distress
mental health
perfectionism
title Impact of maladaptive perfectionism on mental health and the role of cognitive behavioral therapy: a narrative review
title_full Impact of maladaptive perfectionism on mental health and the role of cognitive behavioral therapy: a narrative review
title_fullStr Impact of maladaptive perfectionism on mental health and the role of cognitive behavioral therapy: a narrative review
title_full_unstemmed Impact of maladaptive perfectionism on mental health and the role of cognitive behavioral therapy: a narrative review
title_short Impact of maladaptive perfectionism on mental health and the role of cognitive behavioral therapy: a narrative review
title_sort impact of maladaptive perfectionism on mental health and the role of cognitive behavioral therapy a narrative review
topic Psychiatry
Psychotherapy
cognitive behavioral therapy
psychological distress
mental health
perfectionism
url https://revistardp.org.br/revista/article/view/1452
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