Questionable prospective effect of perfectionism on depression: reanalysis of a meta-analytic cross-lagged panel analysis
BackgroundA recent meta-analysis claimed increasing prospective effects between perfectionism and depressive symptoms. However, the effects were estimated while adjusting for a prior measurement of the outcome variable and it is known that such adjusted cross-lagged effects may be spurious due to co...
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| Format: | Article |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1378482/full |
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| author | Kimmo Sorjonen Bo Melin |
| author_facet | Kimmo Sorjonen Bo Melin |
| author_sort | Kimmo Sorjonen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundA recent meta-analysis claimed increasing prospective effects between perfectionism and depressive symptoms. However, the effects were estimated while adjusting for a prior measurement of the outcome variable and it is known that such adjusted cross-lagged effects may be spurious due to correlations with residuals and regression to the mean.MethodWe reanalyzed the same meta-analytic data as in the challenged study with alternative regression models.ResultsAlternative models indicated contradictory increasing and decreasing prospective effects of perfectionism on depressive symptoms.ConclusionThe present divergent findings suggested that the prospective effect of perfectionism on depressive symptoms may have been spurious. Consequently, the conclusions in the challenged meta-analysis, and the vulnerability model of perfectionism and depressive symptoms in general, can be called into question. It is important for researchers to be aware of the limitations of cross-lagged panel analyses, and of correlations in general, in order not to overinterpret findings. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a6fb3246218e44cd8d44c632b29f3ad0 |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj-art-a6fb3246218e44cd8d44c632b29f3ad02025-07-02T05:51:33ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782025-07-011610.3389/fpsyg.2025.13784821378482Questionable prospective effect of perfectionism on depression: reanalysis of a meta-analytic cross-lagged panel analysisKimmo SorjonenBo MelinBackgroundA recent meta-analysis claimed increasing prospective effects between perfectionism and depressive symptoms. However, the effects were estimated while adjusting for a prior measurement of the outcome variable and it is known that such adjusted cross-lagged effects may be spurious due to correlations with residuals and regression to the mean.MethodWe reanalyzed the same meta-analytic data as in the challenged study with alternative regression models.ResultsAlternative models indicated contradictory increasing and decreasing prospective effects of perfectionism on depressive symptoms.ConclusionThe present divergent findings suggested that the prospective effect of perfectionism on depressive symptoms may have been spurious. Consequently, the conclusions in the challenged meta-analysis, and the vulnerability model of perfectionism and depressive symptoms in general, can be called into question. It is important for researchers to be aware of the limitations of cross-lagged panel analyses, and of correlations in general, in order not to overinterpret findings.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1378482/fulldepressive symptomsmeta-analysisoverinterpretation of findingsperfectionismreanalysisspurious cross-lagged effects |
| spellingShingle | Kimmo Sorjonen Bo Melin Questionable prospective effect of perfectionism on depression: reanalysis of a meta-analytic cross-lagged panel analysis Frontiers in Psychology depressive symptoms meta-analysis overinterpretation of findings perfectionism reanalysis spurious cross-lagged effects |
| title | Questionable prospective effect of perfectionism on depression: reanalysis of a meta-analytic cross-lagged panel analysis |
| title_full | Questionable prospective effect of perfectionism on depression: reanalysis of a meta-analytic cross-lagged panel analysis |
| title_fullStr | Questionable prospective effect of perfectionism on depression: reanalysis of a meta-analytic cross-lagged panel analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Questionable prospective effect of perfectionism on depression: reanalysis of a meta-analytic cross-lagged panel analysis |
| title_short | Questionable prospective effect of perfectionism on depression: reanalysis of a meta-analytic cross-lagged panel analysis |
| title_sort | questionable prospective effect of perfectionism on depression reanalysis of a meta analytic cross lagged panel analysis |
| topic | depressive symptoms meta-analysis overinterpretation of findings perfectionism reanalysis spurious cross-lagged effects |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1378482/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kimmosorjonen questionableprospectiveeffectofperfectionismondepressionreanalysisofametaanalyticcrosslaggedpanelanalysis AT bomelin questionableprospectiveeffectofperfectionismondepressionreanalysisofametaanalyticcrosslaggedpanelanalysis |