PERFECTIONISM AND RELATIONSHIP ADJUSTMENT IN PAIN PATIENTS AND THEIR SPOUSES

The authors assessed whether social facets of perfectionism were assoc iated with indexes of dyadic and family adjustment. A sample of 83 pai n patients and their spouses completed the Multidimensional Perfection ism Scale, Dyadic Adjustment Scale, Family Assessment Device, Beck Dep ression Inventory, and Multiaxial Pain Inventory. After controlling fo r depression, the authors found that pain patients' relationship adjus tments were associated with their spouses' other-oriented perfectionis m. Also, pain patients rated their other-oriented perfectionistic spou ses as less supportive. Spouses' reports of poor dyadic and family adj ustment were associated with their own socially prescribed perfectioni sm. The findings suggest that social aspects of perfectionism contribu te to poor family adjustment.