This article describes an exploratory social work study that examined the efficacy of cognitive-
behavioral treatment of perfectionism. A single-system design was used to analyze change due
to the intervention. Three instruments, two standardized and one self-anchored, were used to
collect data across the phases of the ABA design. The study was replicated with nine clients.
Analysis of the data indicated that the clients experienced a considerable reduction in their levels
of perfectionism as a result of the cognitive-behavioral intervention. The results also indicated
that several issues were associated with perfectionism, including issues such as self-criticism,
difficulty in dealing with feedback, procrastination, and unrealistic goal setting. Consideration
was given to the limitations of the study as well as its applications to social work practice and
research.
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