title: Perfectionism and eating attitudes in Portuguese students: a longitudinal study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the role of perfectionism in the development of disordered eating behaviours.
  
  
  METHODS
  382 female university students completed the Hewitt & Flett MPS and the EAT-40 at baseline, and 1 year after (T1) and 206 2 years later (T2).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Perfectionism at baseline was significantly associated with long-term abnormal eating attitudes/behaviours. Self-Oriented Perfectionism (SOP) and Socially Prescribed Perfectionism (SPP) were significant predictors of disordered eating behaviours. Regression analysis revealed that SOP at baseline was predictive of Diet Concerns and overall eating disturbance (EAT total score), at T1 and T2. SPP was a significant predictor of Social Pressure to Eat at T1 and T2 and of Bulimic Behaviours only at T1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings contribute to a more clear understanding of the association between perfectionism and eating disorders. SOP and SPP were prospectively associated with abnormal eating attitudes/behaviours and SOP was found to be predictive of diet concerns and overall eating disturbance.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Psicologia Médica, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. msoares@fmed.uc.pt
authors.forename: Maria João
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: António
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Macedo
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carvalho Bos
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marques
authors.forename: Berta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Maia
authors.forename: Ana Telma
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Valente
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pato
authors.forename: Maria Helena
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Azevedo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011174:Portugal; D055815:Young Adult