Approaching Perfectionism with Schema Therapy: A Case Study

Abstract

Perfectionism is defined as the tendency to have extremely high standards, leading to significant distress and deterioration of functioning in the clinical sense. In this study, a case with perfectionism was the focus of the complaints especially in work and work related areas. The aim of the study was to illustrate how perfectionism could be studied with schema therapy formulation and techniques. Within the scope of schema therapy supervision course in Istanbul Arel University Clinical Psychology Doctorate Program, 11 sessions were conducted once a week for 50 minutes. During assessment stage, Young Mode Inventory, Young Schema Questionnaire, Young Parenting Inventory, Young-Rygh Avoidance Inventory and Young Compensation Inventory were applied to the patient. Accordingly, failure, insufficient self-control, unrelenting standards, pessimism and punitiveness schemas, demanding parent, punitive parent, detached protector, detached soother, vulnerable child schema modes, and maladaptive coping styles were identified. These schemas, schema modes and coping styles were aimed to be weakened, whereas the strengthening of the healthy adult mode was determined as the goal of the therapy. In order to achieve these goals, interventions were performed using relational, experiential and cognitive strategies of schema therapy. As a result, it was found that perfectionism-based schema therapy achieved the proposed goals which was also supported by the self-report of the patient.

Keywords

• Perfectionism,schema therapy,cognitive strategies,experiential strategies

Mükemmeliyetçiliği Şema Terapiyle Ele Almak: Bir Vaka Üzerinden Anlatım

Abstract

Mükemmeliyetçilik, klinik anlamda kişinin işlevselliğinde önemli düzeyde sıkıntıya ve bozulmalara yol açan, aşırı yüksek standartlara sahip olma eğilimi olarak tanımlanmaktadır. Bu çalışmada şikâyetlerinin odağı mükemmeliyetçilik olan ve özellikle iş ve çalışma alanlarında buna dair sıkıntı yaşayan bir vaka ele alınmıştır. Çalışmanın amacı şema terapi formülasyonu ve teknikleriyle mükemmeliyetçiliğin nasıl çalışılabileceğini örneklemektir. İstanbul Arel Üniversitesi Klinik Psikoloji Doktora Programı şema terapi süpervizyon dersi kapsamında danışanla haftada bir, 50 dakika olmak üzere toplamda 11 seans yapılmıştır. Değerlendirme evresinde, danışana Young Mod Ölçeği, Young Şema Ölçeği, Young Ebeveynlik Ölçeği, YoungRygh Kaçınma Ölçeği ve Young Telafi Ölçeği uygulanmıştır. Kuramsal açıdan mükemmeliyetçiliğin mekanizmasında daha fazla rol aldığı belirtilen, başarısızlık, yetersiz özdenetim, yüksek standartlar, karamsarlık ve cezalandırıcılık şemaları, talepkâr ebeveyn, kopuk korungan ve kopuk kendini avutan şema modları ve uyumsuz başa çıkma biçimleri tespit edilmiştir. Bu şemalar, şema modları ve başa çıkma biçimlerinin zayıflatılması buna karşın sağlıklı yetişkin tarafın güçlendirilmesi, terapi hedefi olarak belirlenmiştir. Bu hedeflere ulaşabilmek için şema terapinin ilişkisel, yaşantısal ve bilişsel stratejileriyle müdahalelerde bulunulmuştur. Sonuç olarak, danışanın şikayetçi olduğu belirtilerdeki azalmalara ilişkin özbildirimleri değerlendirildiğinde mükemmeliyetçiliği köken odaklı şema terapiyle çalışmanın öngörülen değişim hedeflerine ulaşılmasını sağladığı tespit edilmiştir.

Keywords

• Mükemmeliyetçilik,kaygı,şema terapi,bilişsel stratejiler,yaşantısal teknikler

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