While the online delivery of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Perfectionism (CBT-P) provides effective interventions to reduce perfectionism and psychopathology, a new Flinders University pilot study has examined both the effectiveness and acceptability of an artificial intelligence-supplemented CBT-P intervention for young people with anxiety and depression.
Perfectionism is the relentless pursuit of impeccability, setting excessively high standards and an unwavering desire to achieve them, and has become more prevalent in youth over recent decades.
Professor Tracey Wade says new treatment methods that are appealing to young people with perfectionism are extremely important.
“It’s a cause for concern when we start to see perfectionism emerge in childhood,” Wade, a cognitive behaviour therapy expert from Flinders University’s College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, says.
“It can become overwhelming and crippling, leading to self-criticism, stress, procrastination and even poor mental health.
“Therefore, it’s crucial to identify it early and introduce interventions that are effective.”
AI tools have the potential to provide strong guidance through a therapy program, but their effectiveness and likely acceptance by people needing the therapy has not been adequately tested, Wade explains.
“We asked young people about perceptions of AI and co-designed an intervention for perfectionism, and they stated they were interested in AI guidance, noting both benefits and concerns regarding AI, but were positive overall,” she says.
“They were most enthusiastic about the AI intervention’s ease of access, low cost, lack of stigma and benefits for individuals with social anxiety.”
The researcher says the results of the study, titled A pilot study of the perceptions and acceptability of guidance using artificial intelligence in internet cognitive behaviour therapy for perfectionism in young people shows that a pilot trial of AI-guided intervention for perfectionism is now required.
To further support the in-depth study of childhood perfectionism, Flinders University is leading a new study that will engage with both parents and children aged 7 to 12, and examine how perfectionism-related challenges impact their quality of life.
The study – being conducted by Wade and Maya Jabs, with researchers from Curtin University – will examine the feasibility and effectiveness of a new intervention where parents deliver cognitive behaviour therapy for perfectionism (GP-CBT-P) to their child, with the help of a guide.
It will focus on the Guided Parent-Delivered Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Perfectionism, a six-module program delivered by a caregiver in a playful way with the child in interactive learning activities, supported by a weekly online guidance session.
“Perfectionism is not a simple concept to define,” Jabs says.
“It encompasses two dimensions: the pursuit of excessively high self-imposed goals, and feelings of inadequacy when these goals aren't met.
“Both dimensions have been associated with psychological distress, including depression, anxiety, and even eating disorders.”
Jabs says in the context of children and adolescents, perfectionism can lead to less social contact, increased fear and sadness, and difficulties in achieving academic goals.
“We aim to find the best ways to overcome that,” she says.
Cognitive behavioural treatment for perfectionism (CBT-P) focuses on teaching individuals how to approach achievement without causing harm to their mental well-being.
Multiple studies have confirmed the effectiveness of CBT-P in reducing perfectionism and its associated issues, such as depression, anxiety, and disordered eating.
People interested in being a part of this study program should email maya.jabs@flinders.edu.au and fill out this consent form.
