Controlling parenting and perfectionism is associated with an increased error-related negativity (ERN) in young adults

A substantial amount of research focuses on the error-related negativity (ERN)—a negative deflection in the event-related potential waveform that occurs when individuals commit errors on lab-based tasks. The ERN has been link to concurrent and prospective risk for psychopathology and is thought to index sensitivity or reactivity to errors. The ERN can be potentiated in the lab with punishment and has been shown to be increased among offspring of harsh or controlling parents. A separate line of work has demonstrated that the ERN is increased among individuals high in perfectionism. In the current study, we integrate these separate lines of work by examining parenting styles, perfectionism and the ERN in a sample of young adults. Results suggest that the ERN is increased among offspring of controlling parents (both maternal and paternal). Additionally, the ERN is increased among individuals who report being high in perfectionism—specifically, the concerns over mistake and the personal standard perfectionism subscales of the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale. Moreover, results supported a mediation model wherein the indirect pathway from controlling parenting style to perfectionism (personal standard subscale) was mediated by the ERN—for paternal parenting.

A Clinical Investigation of Motivation to Change Standards and Cognitions about Failure in Perfectionism

Background: Clinical perfectionism is a transdiagnostic process that has been found to maintain eating disorders, anxiety disorders and depression. Cognitive behavioural models explaining the maintenance of clinical perfectionism emphasize the contribution of dichotomous thinking and resetting standards higher following both success and failure in meeting their goals. There has been a paucity of research examining the predictions of the models and motivation to change perfectionism. Motivation to change is important as individuals with clinical perfectionism often report many perceived benefits of their perfectionism; they are, therefore, likely to be ambivalent regarding changing perfectionism. Aims: The aim was to compare qualitative responses regarding questions about motivation to change standards and cognitions regarding failure to meet a personal standard in two contrasting groups with high and low negative perfectionism. Negative perfectionism refers to concern over not meeting personal standards. Method: A clinical group with a range of axis 1 diagnoses who were elevated on negative perfectionism were compared to a group of athletes who were low on negative perfectionism. Results: Results indicated that the clinical group perceived many negative consequences of their perfectionism. They also, however, reported numerous benefits and the majority stated that they would prefer not to change their perfectionism. The clinical group also reported dichotomous thinking and preferring to either keep standards the same or reset standards higher following failure, whilst the athlete group reported they would keep standards the same or set them lower. Conclusions: The findings support predictions of the cognitive behavioural model of clinical perfectionism.