Perceived incompetence moderates the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and disordered eating.

Maladaptive perfectionism and perceived incompetence are two factors associated with disordered eating. In this study, we examined whether perceived incompetence moderated the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and disordered eating. Three hundred fifteen college women completed surveys assessing eating habits and levels of perceived incompetence and perfectionism. Results supported a moderating effect of perceived incompetence such that as levels of perceived incompetence increased, the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and disordered eating became increasingly strong. These results imply that clinicians may want to focus efforts on helping clients learn to set healthy goals and improve their perception of competence in life domains.