PERFECTIONISM IN CHRONIC AND STATE SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION

The present study tested whether perfectionism dimensions uniquely pre dict chronic unipolar and chronic bipolar symptoms. A sample of 121 pa tients and former patients completed the Multidimensional Perfectionis m Scale, the General Behavior Inventory, and the Beck Depression Inven tory. The results confirmed that the perfectionism dimensions are rela ted to chronicity of depression symptoms. Whereas self-oriented perfec tionism was uniquely associated only with chronic unipolar symptoms, b oth socially prescribed and other-oriented perfectionism were uniquely associated with chronic bipolar symptoms. Importantly, these relation ships remained significant after controlling for the effects of concur rent state depression. Finally, only socially prescribed perfectionism was uniquely associated with state depression. The results provide su pport for the position that perfectionism dimensions are important in both chronic and state depression symptoms, but the perfectionism dime nsions may differ in terms of their degree of association with various facets of depressive phenomena.