BEHAVIOR THERAPY 32, 167--184, 2001 Can Cognitive Restructuring Reduce the Disruption Associated With Perfectionistic Concerns? PATR1CIA MARTEN DIBARTOLO RANDY O. FROST ASHLEY DIXON SARAH ALMODOVAR Smith College We investigated the utility of a brief cognitive restructuring intervention in inoculat- ing perfectionists from their typical negative responses to evaluative threat. In partic- ular, we wanted to examine whether cognitive restructuring could reduce perfection- ists' negative affect and cognitions about a speech task. We were also interested in analyzing the pattern of within-session change across a variety of affective and cog- nitive measures as a function of this cognitive intervention. Sixty female undergrad- uate students delivered a speech before a small audience. We used a 2 (Group) × 2 (Condition) design to investigate the effects of perfectionism and intervention type on subjects' negative affect and cognitions related to the evaluative task. Participants high and low in perfectionistic concern over mistakes (CM; group) were randomly assigned to receive either a cognitive restructuring or distraction intervention (Con- dition) prior to the speech task. Individuals high in CM reported significantly more negative cognitive and affective responses to the evaluative task than low CM sub- jects; however, cognitive restructuring was successful in reducing cost and probabil- ity estimates for all subjects' most feared predictions for the impending speech. Moreover, these cognitive changes were associated with lower ratings of self- reported anxiety in comparison to subjects in the distraction condition. Interestingly, cognitive restructuring did not affect subjects' more global ratings of negative affect or negative thoughts about the speech. Our results provide some preliminary but en- couraging implications for the effectiveness of cognitive restructuring in the treat- ment of perfectionism. Portions of this manuscript were presented at the 31st Annual Meeting of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Miami Beach, FL, November 1997, as well as the Develop- ments in Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Anxiety Disorders Conference, Assumption Col- lege, Worcester, MA, October 1998. We would like to thank four anonymous reviewers for their comments and suggestions. Address correspondence to Patricia M. DiBartolo, Ph.D., Smith College, Clark Science Cen- ter, Northampton, MA 01063; e-mail: pdibarto@science.smith.edu. 167 005-7894/01/01674) 18451.00/0 Copyright 2001 by Association for Advancement of BehaviorTherapy All rights for reproductionin any formreserved.