title: Perfectionistic cognitions and eating disturbance: distinct mediational models for males and females.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Perfectionism has long been known to correlate with eating disturbance (ED). One mechanism through which this personality tendency may lead to ED is through increasing one's daily perfectionistic thoughts. This study examined the mediating role of perfectionistic thinking in the personality perfectionism-ED relationship among both male and female college students, and included measures assessing both typically-male and typically-female ED symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  A majority-White sample of 140 males and 329 females completed online versions of the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (Hewitt & Flett, 1991), Perfectionism Cognitions Inventory (Flett, Hewitt, Blankstein, & Gray, 1998), Drive for Muscularity Scale (McCreary, Sasse, Saucier, & Dorsch, 2004), items from the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (Fairburn, 2008), and other measures. Regression tests examined the hypothesized role of perfectionistic cognitions as a mediator, including participant age, BMI, and positive and negative affect as covariates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among women, relationships between both self-oriented (Sobel's statistic=-4.63, p<.001) and socially prescribed perfectionism (Sobel's statistic=-5.77, p<.001) and dieting behavior were fully mediated by increased perfectionistic thinking. Among men, however, the relationship between only self-oriented perfectionism and bulimic (but not dieting) behavior, was fully mediated by increased perfectionistic thinking (Sobel's statistic=-2.53, p=.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Perfectionistic cognitions play an important linking role between personality perfectionism and ED, and can illuminate important differences by gender in eating disturbance. Such findings can improve validity of ED assessment in both genders, and provide a clear pathway to interventions to decrease ED in both genders.
authors: Department of Psychology, Indiana University Kokomo, 2300 S. Washington St., Kokomo, IN 46904, United States. Electronic address: downeyca@iuk.edu.
authors: Christina A
authors: CA
authors: Downey
authors: Opportunities for Positive Growth, 10080 E. 121st St., Suite 112, Fishers, IN 46037, United States. Electronic address: kerowood@umail.iu.edu.
authors: Kenlee R
authors: KR
authors: Reinking
authors: The Villages of Indiana, 2739 Albright Rd, Kokomo, IN 46902, United States. Electronic address: gibby8908@aol.com.
authors: Jeremy M
authors: JM
authors: Gibson
authors: Indiana University Kokomo, 2300 S. Washington St., Kokomo, IN 46904, United States. Electronic address: jaycloud@iuk.edu.
authors: Jayson A
authors: JA
authors: Cloud
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 2263 East Hall, 530 Church St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States. Electronic address: changec@umich.edu.
authors: Edward C
authors: EC
authors: Chang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003071:Cognition; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010551:Personality; D012737:Sex Factors; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Eating disturbance; Gender and eating pathology; Multidimensional perfectionism