Abstract
The major theme in theorizing about the development of perfectionism is that it is a product of perfectionistic and demanding parents. The two studies reported here represent the first attempt to test this assumption. In study 1, perfectionism was measured in both daughters and their parents. In study 2, perfectionism in both daughters and their parents, related parental characteristics, and levels of psychopathology among daughters were measured. The findings from both studies indicated that mothers' perfectionism, but not fathers', was associated with perfectionism among daughters. In addition, daughters' ratings of fathers' harshness, but not fathers' self-reported harshness, were associated with daughters' perfectionism. For mothers, daughters' ratings of mothers' harshness and mothers' self-reported harshness were associated with perfectionism among daughters. A combination of mothers' Overall Perfectionism and mothers' self-reported harshness accounted for 30% of the variance in daughters' Overall Perfectionism. Additional findings suggested that mothers' perfectionism was associated with greater symptoms of psychopathology among daughters, while fathers' perfectionism was associated with lower levels of symptomatology.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
American Psychiatric Association. (1987).Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (3rd ed., rev.). Washington, DC: Author.
Barrow, J. C., & Moore, C. A. (1983). Group interventions with perfectionist thinking.Personnel and Guidance Journal, 61, 612–615.
Berlin, S.(1985). Maintaining reduced levels of self-criticism through relapse prevention treatment.Social Work Research and Abstracts, 21, 21–33.
Blatt, S. J., Wein, S. J., Chevron, E., & Quinlan, D. M. (1979). Parental representations and depression in normal young adults.Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 88, 388–397.
Bruch, H. (1978).The golden cage. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Burns, D. D. (1980, November). The perfectionist's script for self-defeat.Psychology Today, 34–51.
Deffenbacher, J. L., Zwemer, W. A., Whisman, M. A., Hill, R. A., & Sloan, R. D. (1986). Irrational beliefs and anxiety.Cognitive Therapy and Research, 10, 281–292.
Delisle, J. (1986). Death with honors: Suicide among gifted adolescents.Journal of Counseling and Development, 64, 558–560.
Derogatis, L. R., & Melisaratos, N. (1983). The Brief Symptom Inventory: An introductory report.Psychological Medicine, 13, 595–605.
Frost, R. O., & Marten, P. (1990). Perfectionism and evaluative threat.Cognitive Therapy and Research, 14, 559–572.
Frost, R. O., Marten, P., Lahart, C., & Rosenblate, R. (1990). The dimensions of perfectionism.Cognitive Therapy and Research, 14, 449–468.
Garner, D., Garfinkel, P., & Bemis, K. (1982). A multidimensional psychotherapy for anorexia nervosa.International Journal of Eating Disorder, 1, 3–64.
Goldfried, M. R., & Sobocinski, D. (1975). Effect of irrational beliefs on emotional arousal.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 43, 504–510.
Hamachek, D. E. (1978). Psychodynamics of normal and neurotic perfectionism.Psychology, 15, 27–33.
Hewitt, P. L., & Dyck, D. (1986). Perfectionism, stress, and vulnerability to depression.Cognitive Therapy and Research, 10, 137–142.
Hewitt, P. L., & Flett, G. L. (1990a). Perfectionism and depression: A multidimensional analysis.Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, 5 423–438.
Hewitt, P. L., & Flett, G. L. (1990b). Perfectionism in the self and social contexts: Conceptualization, assessment, and association with psychopathology.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 60 456–470.
Hollender, M. H. (1965). Perfectionism.Comprehensive Psychiatry, 6, 94–103.
Hoover, C. F., & Insel, T. R. (1984). Families of origin in obsessive-compulsive disorder.Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 172, 207–215.
Katzman, M., & Wolchik, S. (1984). Bulimia and binge eating in college women: A comparison of personality and behavioral characteristics.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 52, 423–428.
LaPointe, K.., & Crandell, C. (1980). Relationship of irrational beliefs to self-reported depression.Cognitive Therapy and Research, 4, 247–250.
Lo, W. (1969). Aetiological factors in childhood neurosis.British Journal of Psychiatry, 115, 889–894.
McCranie, E. W., & Bass, J. D. (1984). Childhood family antecedents of dependency and self-criticism: Implications for depression.Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 93, 3–8.
Missildine, W. H. (1963).Your inner child of the past. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Nelson, R. E. (1977). Irrational beliefs in depression.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 45, 1190–1191.
Ordman, A., & Kirschenbaum, D. (1986). Bulimia: Assessment of eating, psychological adjustment, and familial characteristics.International Journal of Eating Disorders, 5, 865–878.
Pacht, A. R. (1984). Reflections on perfection.American Psychologist, 39, 386–390.
Pirot, M. (1986).. The pathological thought and dynamics of the perfectionist.Individual Psychology: Journal of Adlerian Theory, Research and Practice, 42, 51–58.
Quadland, M. C. (1980). Private self-consciousness, attribution of responsibility, and perfectionistic thinking in secondary erectile dysfunction.Journal of Sexual and Marital Therapy, 6, 47–55.
Rachman, S. J. (1976). Obsessional-compulsive checking.Behaviour Research and Therapy, 14, 269–277.
Rachman, S. J., & Hodgson, R. J. (1980).Obsessions and compulsions, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Rasmussen, S. A., & Tsuang, M. T. (1986). Clinical characteristics and family history in DSM-III obsessive-compulsive disorder.American Journal of Psychiatry, 143, 317–322.
Steketee, G., Grayson, J., & Foa, E. (1985). Obsessive-compulsive disorder: Differences between washers and checkers.Behaviour Research and Therapy, 23, 197–201.
Steketee, G., Grayson, J., & Foa, E. (1987). A comparison of characteristics of obsessive-compulsive disorder and other anxiety disorders.Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 1, 325–335.
Thompson, D. A., Berg, K. M., & Shatford, L. A. (1987). The heterogeneity of bulimic symptomatology: Cognitive and behavioral dimensions.International Journal of Eating Disorders, 6, 215–234.
Toner, B., Garfinkel, P., & Garner, D. (1986). Long-term follow-up of anorexia nervosa.Psychosomatic Medicine, 48, 520–529.
Trexler, L. D., & Karst, T. O. (1973). Further validation for a new measure of irrational cognitions.Journal of Personality Assessment, 37, 150–155.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Frost, R.O., Lahart, C.M. & Rosenblate, R. The development of perfectionism: A study of daughters and their parents. Cogn Ther Res 15, 469–489 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01175730
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01175730