Skip to main content

Discounting In Perfectionism – The Ratchet Effect

When individuals with perfectionism successfully meet their demanding standards, these accomplishments are often discounted as “easy to do,” “no big deal,” or having “scope for improvement.” As a result, there is a little satisfaction in these achievements. This reinforces the need to strive and achieve in order to maintain positive self-evaluation, which leads individuals to set even higher standards for themselves. Consequently, individuals with perfectionism are likely to set ever-more demanding standards. In engineering, ratchets are useful devices which allow forward movement, but not backwards. The Discounting In Perfectionism – The Ratchet Effect handout illustrates the bias of discounting with reference to a ratchet metaphor.

Download or send

Choose your language

Professional version

Offers theory, guidance, and prompts for mental health professionals. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.

Client version

Includes client-friendly guidance. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.

Editable version (PPT)

An editable Microsoft PowerPoint version of the resource.

Translation Template

Are you a qualified therapist who would like to help with our translation project?

Tags

Languages this resource is available in

  • Bulgarian
  • English (GB)
  • English (US)
  • French
  • Malaysian
  • Spanish (International)

Problems this resource might be used to address

Techniques associated with this resource

Mechanisms associated with this resource

Introduction & Theoretical Background

People with perfectionism strive to meet extremely high standards, despite this having negative consequences for them. For many individuals with perfectionism, their feelings of self-worth are dependent upon striving for and achieving these demanding standards. 

The cognitive behavioral model of perfectionism identifies several factors which maintain perfectionism (Egan et al., 2014; Shafran et al., 2010; Shafran et al., 2014). These include:

  • Setting extreme standards for oneself which are difficult to achieve. People with perfectionism pursue standards that are challenging to meet and often impossible to maintain, which inevitably results in failure.
  • Self-worth is contingent on fulfilling high standards. For individuals with perfectionism, feeling good about themselves is often dependent upon meeting demanding standards in a limited number of domains. This can lead to a narrowing of interests, problems in other areas of life, and over-investment in striving and achievement.
  • Selective attention. This cognitive bias causes people with perfectionism to

Get access to this resource

View all plans and pricing options

Get Access

Therapist Guidance

“People who struggle with perfectionism set demanding standards for themselves, but when they meet a goal they have set for themselves they often seem to find a way to discount or dismiss their achievement. Would you be willing to explore this with me?” 

Use this handout to explain the ratchet metaphor, and as a starting point to discuss biases of discounting in perfectionism. Example discussion points include:

  • Can you give me some examples of standards that you set for yourself? Perhaps ones that other people might think are demanding?
  • What do you say to yourself when you live up to your standards, or achieve one of your goals?
  • Have you ever ‘ratcheted up’ and set an even more demanding standard?
  • What are the benefits of ‘ratcheting up’ your standards?
  • What might be the costs of ‘ratcheting up’ your standards?
  • What might help you to break out of the ratchet

Get access to this resource

View all plans and pricing options

Get Access

References And Further Reading

  • Egan, S. J., Wade, T. D., Shafran, R., & Antony, M. M. (2014). Cognitive-behavioral treatment of perfectionism. Guilford.
  • Shafran, R., Cooper, Z., & Fairburn, C. G. (2002). Clinical perfectionism: A cognitive-behavioral analysis. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 40, 773-791.
  • Shafran, R., Egan, S., & Wade, T. (2010). Overcoming perfectionism: A self-help guide using cognitive behavioral techniques. Constable and Robinson.

Get access to this resource

View all plans and pricing options

Get Access