ORIGINAL ARTICLE Perceived Parental Psychological Control and Eating-Disordered Symptoms Maladaptive Perfectionism as a Possible Intervening Variable

Abstract: Recent developmental theorizing conceptualizes perfec-tionism as a mediator of the relation between intrusive parenting and psychopathology. Research addressing this hypothesis in relation to eating disorders (EDs), however, is lacking. This case-control study (a) examined mean-level differences between ED patients and nor-mal controls in psychologically controlling parenting and perfec-tionism and (b) addressed the intervening role of perfectionism in associations between psychological control and ED symptoms, dis-tinguishing between maladaptive and relatively more adaptive types of perfectionism. Hypotheses were examined in a sample of normal controls (N 85) and a sample of ED patients (N 60). Findings indicate that ED patients and bulimics in particular show elevated levels of paternal (but not maternal) psychological control and elevated levels of maladaptive perfectionism compared with normal controls. Mediation analyses show that maladaptive perfectionism is a significant intervening variable between parental psychological control and ED symptoms. Directions for future research on con-trolling parenting, perfectionism, and ED are outlined. Key Words: Parenting, psychological control, perfectionism, eating disorder