DIFFERENCES IN TREATMENT ATTAINMENT AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS WITH DEPRESSION AND DEPRESSION COMORBID WITH PERFECTIONISM

Suicide rates are higher among individuals with depression as well as those with perfectionism. However, the researcher found no studies evaluating the differences in treatment rates among those with depression, perfectionism, and depression comorbid with perfectionism. Participants included 314 college students, predominately female, with a mean age of 21. It was hypothesized that those with perfectionism and those with depression comorbid with perfectionism would attain treatment at a lower rate than those with depression alone. To test these hypotheses, correlations, t tests, and a univariate ANOVA were conducted. The data showed that there was no significant relationship between perfectionism scores and mental health treatment. However, those with higher depression scores alone received treatment at a higher rate than those with higher depression scores comorbid with higher perfectionism scores. Since both populations are at a high risk for suicide, future research should investigate methods to help those with perfectionism and depression comorbid with perfectionism attain mental health treatment.