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Is it right to say that a really strong attitude and stubbornness to do something is really similar to an obsession?

I'll try to explain better what I mean.

Let's take a really good developer or a really good scientist. Very often the reason which is leading him to be so good is the addiction to his work.

For some guys, for example, the respect for the rule should be maniacal.

So, is it possible to state that a strong perfectionism / addiction is often readable as a form of obsessive personality trait? (maybe ego-syntonic, and since not a disorder)

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    $\begingroup$ Self-help questions are off-topic here. See if you can reframe this one in terms of the title question rather than your own experiences. $\endgroup$ – Chuck Sherrington Feb 26 '14 at 23:06
  • $\begingroup$ @ChuckSherrington: no problem, I will do it $\endgroup$ – Revious Feb 26 '14 at 23:09
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    $\begingroup$ it is more related to OCP $\endgroup$ – MimSaad Jul 15 '17 at 20:45
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Perhaps check out the Obsessive Beliefs Questionnaire which is designed to measures dysfunctional beliefs related to OCD. There are several papers that examine the factor structure, and perfectionism is typically seen as one of the major aspects of obsessive beliefs.

However, it seems to be a particular form of maladaptive perfectionism. See these perfectionism items from the OBQ:

  • In order to be a worthwhile person, I must be perfect at everything I do
  • If I can’t do something perfectly, I shouldn’t do it at all
  • Even minor mistakes mean a job is not complete
  • For me, things are not right if they are not perfect
  • For me, making a mistake is as bad as failing completely.
  • I must keep working until it’s done exactly right.

Thus, this is more than just doing your best to achieve good outcomes.

References

  • Moulding, R., Anglim, J., Nedeljkovic, M., Doron, G., Kyrios, M., & Ayalon, A. (2011). The Obsessive Beliefs Questionnaire (OBQ):Examination in non-clinical samples and development of a short version. Assessment, 18, 357-374.
  • Myers, S. G., Fisher, P. L., & Wells, A. (2008). Belief domains of the Obsessive Beliefs Questionnaire-44 (OBQ-44) and their specific relationship with obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 22, 475-484.
  • Obsessive Compulsive Cognitions Working Group. (2001). Development and initial validation of the obsessive beliefs questionnaire and the interpretation of intrusions inventory. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 39, 987-1006.
  • Obsessive Compulsive Cognitions Working Group. (2005). Psy- chometric validation of the obsessive belief questionnaire and interpretation of intrusions inventory—Part 2: Factor analyses and testing of a brief version. Behaviour Research and Ther- apy, 43, 5127-1542.
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Maniacal stubbornness and perfectionism could be symptoms of anankastic personality disorder, classified in ICD-10 as F.60.5.

Personality disorder characterized by feelings of doubt, perfectionism, excessive conscientiousness, checking and preoccupation with details, stubbornness, caution, and rigidity. There may be insistent and unwelcome thoughts or impulses that do not attain the severity of an obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Personality (disorder):

  • compulsive
  • obsessional
  • obsessive-compulsive

Source: http://apps.who.int/classifications/icd10/browse/2010/en#/F60.5

Further reading: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsessive%E2%80%93compulsive_personality_disorder

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