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Perfectionism and acceptance

Lundh, Lars-Gunnar LU (2004) In Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy 22(4). p.251-265
Abstract
The present paper argues that there is both a positive and a negative form of perfectionism, and that they can be differentiated in terms of acceptance. The basic argument is that there is nothing unhealthy or dysfunctional about the striving for perfection as such—perfectionism, however, becomes dysfunctional when this striving for perfection turns into a demand for perfection, defined as an inability to accept being less than perfect. Positive perfectionism, in other words, is viewed as a dialectic combination of (a) a striving for perfection, and (b) the acceptance of non-perfection. Some therapeutic implications are discussed, and some directions for further research are pointed out.
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author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy
volume
22
issue
4
pages
251 - 265
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:26844560720
ISSN
0894-9085
DOI
10.1023/B:JORE.0000047311.12864.27
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
454ac815-27d3-4687-99ba-0cfd2d59b768 (old id 933903)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:02:36
date last changed
2022-01-26 21:56:21
@article{454ac815-27d3-4687-99ba-0cfd2d59b768,
  abstract     = {{The present paper argues that there is both a positive and a negative form of perfectionism, and that they can be differentiated in terms of acceptance. The basic argument is that there is nothing unhealthy or dysfunctional about the striving for perfection as such—perfectionism, however, becomes dysfunctional when this striving for perfection turns into a demand for perfection, defined as an inability to accept being less than perfect. Positive perfectionism, in other words, is viewed as a dialectic combination of (a) a striving for perfection, and (b) the acceptance of non-perfection. Some therapeutic implications are discussed, and some directions for further research are pointed out.}},
  author       = {{Lundh, Lars-Gunnar}},
  issn         = {{0894-9085}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{251--265}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy}},
  title        = {{Perfectionism and acceptance}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/2756124/1757202}},
  doi          = {{10.1023/B:JORE.0000047311.12864.27}},
  volume       = {{22}},
  year         = {{2004}},
}