Perfectionistic Self-Presentation and Suicide in a Young Woman with Major Depression and Psychotic Features

A woman in her midtwenties with a history of major depressive disorder and a recent major depressive episode with mood-congruent psychotic features died by suicide. Two weeks before her death, she demonstrated exceptional elevations on the nondisplay of imperfection factor of Hewitt and Flett’s Perf...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Sabrina Hassan, Gordon L. Flett, Rohan Ganguli, Paul L. Hewitt
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2014-01-01
Series:Case Reports in Psychiatry
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/901981
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832554446747336704
author Sabrina Hassan
Gordon L. Flett
Rohan Ganguli
Paul L. Hewitt
author_facet Sabrina Hassan
Gordon L. Flett
Rohan Ganguli
Paul L. Hewitt
author_sort Sabrina Hassan
collection DOAJ
description A woman in her midtwenties with a history of major depressive disorder and a recent major depressive episode with mood-congruent psychotic features died by suicide. Two weeks before her death, she demonstrated exceptional elevations on the nondisplay of imperfection factor of Hewitt and Flett’s Perfectionistic Self-Presentation Scale. Perfectionism and especially perfectionistic self-presentation have been strongly associated with suicide across several populations, accounting for unique variance in suicidality beyond depression and hopelessness. Yet interpersonal facets of perfectionism are not recognized as clinical risk factors for suicide. There is also a paucity of research on perfectionism in relation to psychotic symptoms. This case account illustrates the role of perfectionistic self-presentation in suicides that occur seemingly without warning and, to our knowledge, this is the first examination of perfectionistic self-presentation and suicide in a case where psychotic features occurred. This study, though single case-based, draws attention to perfectionism and perfectionistic self-presentation and their potential roles in suicide, especially when accompanied by other risk factors. Future research in this area may elucidate the role of perfectionism in suicide, singularly and in the context of a comprehensive clinical risk assessment, demonstrating whether perfectionism confers information about suicide risk beyond known clinical risk factors.
format Article
id doaj-art-b122019b4a364e219c0ce7e74db34e4a
institution Kabale University
issn 2090-682X
2090-6838
language English
publishDate 2014-01-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Case Reports in Psychiatry
spelling doaj-art-b122019b4a364e219c0ce7e74db34e4a2025-02-03T05:51:32ZengWileyCase Reports in Psychiatry2090-682X2090-68382014-01-01201410.1155/2014/901981901981Perfectionistic Self-Presentation and Suicide in a Young Woman with Major Depression and Psychotic FeaturesSabrina Hassan0Gordon L. Flett1Rohan Ganguli2Paul L. Hewitt3Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, York University, 1001 Queen Street West, Unit 4-1, Toronto, ON, M6J 1H4, CanadaYork University, 4700 Keele Street, Technology Enhanced Learning Building, 5022K, Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, CanadaCentre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, 1001 Queen Street West, Unit 4-1, Toronto, ON, M6J 1H4, CanadaUniversity of British Columbia, 2136 West Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, CanadaA woman in her midtwenties with a history of major depressive disorder and a recent major depressive episode with mood-congruent psychotic features died by suicide. Two weeks before her death, she demonstrated exceptional elevations on the nondisplay of imperfection factor of Hewitt and Flett’s Perfectionistic Self-Presentation Scale. Perfectionism and especially perfectionistic self-presentation have been strongly associated with suicide across several populations, accounting for unique variance in suicidality beyond depression and hopelessness. Yet interpersonal facets of perfectionism are not recognized as clinical risk factors for suicide. There is also a paucity of research on perfectionism in relation to psychotic symptoms. This case account illustrates the role of perfectionistic self-presentation in suicides that occur seemingly without warning and, to our knowledge, this is the first examination of perfectionistic self-presentation and suicide in a case where psychotic features occurred. This study, though single case-based, draws attention to perfectionism and perfectionistic self-presentation and their potential roles in suicide, especially when accompanied by other risk factors. Future research in this area may elucidate the role of perfectionism in suicide, singularly and in the context of a comprehensive clinical risk assessment, demonstrating whether perfectionism confers information about suicide risk beyond known clinical risk factors.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/901981
spellingShingle Sabrina Hassan
Gordon L. Flett
Rohan Ganguli
Paul L. Hewitt
Perfectionistic Self-Presentation and Suicide in a Young Woman with Major Depression and Psychotic Features
Case Reports in Psychiatry
title Perfectionistic Self-Presentation and Suicide in a Young Woman with Major Depression and Psychotic Features
title_full Perfectionistic Self-Presentation and Suicide in a Young Woman with Major Depression and Psychotic Features
title_fullStr Perfectionistic Self-Presentation and Suicide in a Young Woman with Major Depression and Psychotic Features
title_full_unstemmed Perfectionistic Self-Presentation and Suicide in a Young Woman with Major Depression and Psychotic Features
title_short Perfectionistic Self-Presentation and Suicide in a Young Woman with Major Depression and Psychotic Features
title_sort perfectionistic self presentation and suicide in a young woman with major depression and psychotic features
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/901981
work_keys_str_mv AT sabrinahassan perfectionisticselfpresentationandsuicideinayoungwomanwithmajordepressionandpsychoticfeatures
AT gordonlflett perfectionisticselfpresentationandsuicideinayoungwomanwithmajordepressionandpsychoticfeatures
AT rohanganguli perfectionisticselfpresentationandsuicideinayoungwomanwithmajordepressionandpsychoticfeatures
AT paullhewitt perfectionisticselfpresentationandsuicideinayoungwomanwithmajordepressionandpsychoticfeatures