title: Dysfunctional attitudes scale perfectionism: a predictor and partial mediator of acute treatment outcome among clinically depressed adolescents.
abstract: The effect of perfectionism on acute treatment outcomes was explored in a randomized controlled trial of 439 clinically depressed adolescents (12-17 years of age) enrolled in the Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS) who received cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), fluoxetine, a combination of CBT and FLX, or pill placebo. Measures included the Children's Depression Rating Scale-Revised, the Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire-Grades 7-9, and the perfectionism subscale from the Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale (DAS). Predictor results indicate that adolescents with higher versus lower DAS perfectionism scores at baseline, regardless of treatment, continued to demonstrate elevated depression scores across the acute treatment period. In the case of suicidality, DAS perfectionism impeded improvement. Treatment outcomes were partially mediated by the change in DAS perfectionism across the 12-week period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, USA. rj2310@columbia.edu
authors.forename: Rachel H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: Susan G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Reinecke
authors.forename: John F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Curry
authors.forename: Golda S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Ginsburg
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Kratochvil
authors.forename: John S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: March
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001290:Attitude; D002648:Child; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010551:Personality; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome