Predicting eating problems among Malaysian Chinese: Differential roles of positive and negative perfectionism

Positive and negative perfectionism (measured by the Positive and Negative Perfectionism Scale; PANPS) are found to have differential roles in predicting eating problems. This study translated and back-translated the PANPS into Chinese and then examined whether its factor structure was comparable to the original PANPS. The relationships between positive and negative perfectionism (using Chinese PANPS) and eating problems were also evaluated. Malaysian Chinese (N = 205) adults completed the Chinese PANPS, Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI) and Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale. Principal Component Analysis showed the two-factor solution of the Chinese PANPS accounted for 33.42% of the total variance, which was comparable to previous studies. Hierarchical multiple regressions revealed that negative perfectionism significantly predicted all eating disorder symptoms for females, but not drive for thinness and body dissatisfaction for males. Conversely, positive perfectionism significantly predicted lower total EDI scores, lower ineffectiveness and lower interpersonal distrust, but only predicted lower body dissatisfaction among females. In conclusion, negative perfectionism was consistently associated with eating problems whereas positive perfectionism might be a potentially adaptive factor, confirming the distinctive roles each played in the development of eating problems, even in a non-Western population.

► The Chinese translated PANPS has comparable factor structure to its English version.
► Dual-factor structure (positive P+ and negative P−) of the Chinese PANPS was found.
► P+ and P− showed distinctive relationships with eating problems.
► P− is a vulnerable factor, consistently predicting more eating disturbance symptoms.
► P+ is an adaptive factor, shielding some maladaptive psychosocial characteristics.