The role of perfectionism in obsessive–compulsive symptoms: “Not just right” experiences and checking compulsions

Abstract

Perfectionism has long been considered an important cognitive variable in obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). However, little research has examined the components of perfectionism and their role in specific OCD symptoms. The current study is the first to examine the role of maladaptive perfectionism in predicting checking compulsions and “not just right” (NJR) obsessions. Using an undergraduate sample, linear structural relations were applied to these constructs. A mediational model was tested, where trait anxiety was hypothesized to mediate the relationship between obsessive–compulsive symptoms, as assessed with the Vancouver Obsessive–Compulsive Inventory (VOCI) and maladaptive perfectionism, as measured by four subscales of the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (FMPS). Trait anxiety was assessed with the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). The results support the fully mediated model for checking and NJR compulsions. These findings suggest that perfectionism plays a specific role in certain forms of obsessive–compulsive symptoms, and that the model of OCD requires adjustment to account for this specificity.