title: Perfectionism, emotion regulation and their relationship to negative affect in patients with social phobia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Research on the perfectionism and emotion regulation strategies in anxiety disorders has gained increased attention. These have an important implication for formulation of therapies.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We examined perfectionism, emotion regulation were examined in 30 patients with social phobia (SP) and 30 community participants.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional design using a clinical and a community control sample was adopted in this exploratory study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were assessed on The Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview, Frost's-Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, Ruminative Response Scale of the response style questionnaire, cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire, Social Interaction Anxiety Scale and the Beck's Depression Inventory.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data was analyzed using independents samples t-test and Pearson's Product moment correlations and step-wise linear regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Individuals with SP had higher perfectionism (mean = 100.30, SD = ±17.73, t = 7.29, P < 0.001), rumination (mean = 61.47, SD = ±11.96, t = 6.71, P < 0.001) and lower levels of positive reappraisal (mean = 11.53, SD = ±3.85, t = 4.90, P < 0.001). Perfectionism was correlated with social anxiety (r = 0.44, P < 0.05) and rumination (r = 0.43, P < 0.05), but not with depression. Rumination was positively correlated with both social anxiety (r = 0.513, P < 0.01) and depression (r = 0.485, P < 0.01). Positive reappraisal was negatively correlated with depression (r = -0.396, P < 0.05) and anxiety (r = -0.335, P < 0.05). Acceptance was found to be significantly correlated only to the reflective pondering subscale of rumination. Parental criticism was a significant predictor of social anxiety (F = 11.11, P < 0.01) and brooding predicted depression (F = 10.49, P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study highlights the role of perfectionism as a maintaining factor in SP and the importance of adaptive forms of emotion regulation that need to be addressed in psychological interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology, National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Systla
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rukmini
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology, National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Paulomi M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Sudhir
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Suresh Bada
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Math
keywords: Emotion regulation; perfectionism; rumination; social phobia