title: In double trouble for eating pathology? An experimental study on the combined role of perfectionism and body dissatisfaction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A number of correlational studies suggest that the combined presence of perfectionism and body dissatisfaction creates elevated risk for the development of eating disorder pathology. The aim of this study was to examine the causal role of this combination of risk factors for eating pathology.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted an experimental study in a sample of female college students (N = 47). Specifically, we performed an experimental manipulation of perfectionism and examined whether this manipulation would interact with body dissatisfaction to predict eating disorder symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that the effect of the experimental manipulation was moderated by body dissatisfaction, such that women in the perfectionism condition and scoring high on body dissatisfaction exhibited the highest levels of eating disorder symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The sample was rather small (resulting in limited statistical power) and the participants were predominantly healthy and well-adjusted women, which may limit the generalizability and interpretation of our findings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that the combination of perfectionism and body dissatisfaction is particularly detrimental and predictive of risk for eating disorder symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Department of Developmental, Social, and Personality Psychology, Belgium. Electronic address: Liesbet.Boone@UGent.be.
authors.forename: Liesbet
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Boone
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Department of Developmental, Social, and Personality Psychology, Belgium.
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Soenens
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010551:Personality; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Body dissatisfaction; Eating disorder; Experimental; Perfectionism