A Randomized Controlled Trial of Self-Help Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Perfectionism

Many college students are struggling with perfectionism, a tendency to set extremely high standards for themselves, which can lead to stress and dissatisfaction. We looked at whether self-help books based on two different types of therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), can help reduce unhelpful perfectionism. We looked at how well ACT and CBT self-help books worked for reducing perfectionism, compared to students who did not receive either book. College students in the study completed surveys at the beginning, halfway through, after finishing the book, and again one month later. We found that students who read the ACT and CBT self-help books saw improvements in managing perfectionism, stress, and emotional well-being compared to those who were in the waitlist group. ACT also helped students become more flexible in how they approached unhelpful thoughts, showing greater improvement in this area than CBT. Most students found the self-help books helpful and engaged with the readings throughout the study. These findings suggest that self-help books may be an accessible and effective way to help people reduce perfectionism and improve their mental health.