Mediators between perfectionism and eating disorder psychopathology: Shape and weight overvaluation and conditional goal-setting

OBJECTIVE: To examine mediators of the relationship between perfectionism and eating disorder (ED) psychopathology in a clinical sample. METHOD: Participants were 201 women with a DSM-IV diagnosed ED consecutively referred to a specialist outpatient treatment clinic. Participants completed measures of perfectionism, ED psychopathology, shape and weight overvaluation, and conditional goal-setting (CGS). RESULTS: Evaluation of a multivariate mediator model using Baron and Kenny's (1986) four-step mediation methodology showed that shape and weight overvaluation and CGS significantly and uniquely mediated the relation between self-oriented perfectionism (SOP) and restraint, eating concern, shape concern, and weight concern. The mediator model furthered the proportion of explained variance in outcomes beyond the direct effects model by 28-49%. DISCUSSION: The findings support the conclusion that the relationship between SOP and ED psychopathology in women with a clinically diagnosed ED is mediated by shape and weight overvaluation and CGS. © 2010 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.