During the past 20 years I have worked with eating disorders and chronic pain. I have combined the clinical work with research on eating disorders and perfectionism. My doctoral thesis “Flawless beyond reach and reason – Aspects of perfectionism in eating disorders” examines perfectionism as conceptualized by the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI) Perfectionism scale and patients’ descriptions of perfectionism. During my years as a psychologist, I have also worked with patients with myocardial infarction and pain in parallel with my psychiatric work.
Research
My research focuses on prolonged grief, digital psychotherapy, eating disorders, and chronic pain. Currently, I am evaluating interdisciplinary rehabilitation in primary care for patients with chronic pain and psychometric properties for the Swedish version of Grief Avoidance Questionnaire, the GRAQ.
My ongoing research projects
My completed research projects
Publications
Article in journal (Refereed)
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Elm, E.S., Petersson, S., Carlsson, M., Brudin, L., Marteinsdottir, I., et al. (2026). GLP-1 is associated with perfectionism in Swedish women with anorexia nervosa, independent of BMI. Eating and Weight Disorders. 31 (1).
Status: Published -
Kongstad, I., Petersson, S. (2025). Executive functions in everyday life in children born small for gestational age - a pilot study of pre-term to full-term children 3 years and younger. BMC Pediatrics. 25 (1).
Status: Published -
Taygar, A.S., Bartels, S.L., De la vega, R., Flink, I., Engman, L., et al. (2025). User-Driven Development of a Digital Behavioral Intervention for Chronic Pain : Multimethod Multiphase Study. JMIR FORMATIVE RESEARCH. 9.
Status: Published -
Lindholm, S., Petersson, S., Molander, P., Björk, M. (2025). The Impact of Pain on Everyday Activities of People With Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders or Hypermobility Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. European Journal of Pain. 29 (3).
Status: Published -
Al sharaa, H., Bartels, S.L., Taygar, A.S., Engman, L., Petersson, S., et al. (2025). Individual-Level Effects of a Digital Behavioural Treatment for Chronic Pain : Proof-of-Concept of a Single-Case Experimental Design Study. European Journal of Pain. 29 (10).
Status: Published -
Olsson, M., Hagel, S., Petersson, S. (2024). Challenged by the jaw : an interview study on patients' experiences of temporomandibular disorders in rheumatic inflammatory diseases. Disability and Rehabilitation. 47 (4). 977-984.
Status: Published -
Petersson, S., Wåhlin, I. (2022). A piece of a puzzle - Patient and psychologist experiences of the Affect School as additional treatment in a Swedish eating disorder unit. PLOS ONE. 17 (7 July).
Status: Published -
Bartels, S.L., Johnsson, S.I., Boersma, K., Flink, I., Mccracken, L.M., et al. (2022). Development, evaluation and implementation of a digital behavioural health treatment for chronic pain : study protocol of the multiphase DAHLIA project. BMJ Open. 12 (4).
Status: Published -
Petersson, S., Årestedt, K., Birgegård, A. (2022). Evaluation of the Affect School as supplementary treatment of Swedish women with eating disorders : a randomized clinical trial. Journal of Eating Disorders. 10 (1).
Status: Published -
Petersson, S., Birgegård, A., Brudin, L., Forsén mantilla, E., Monell, E., et al. (2021). Initial self-blame predicts eating disoreder remission after 9 years. Journal of Eating Disorders. 9.
Status: Published -
Petersson, S., Gullbing, L., Perseius, K. (2021). Just like fireworks in my brain : a Swedish interview study on experiences of emotionsin female patients with eating disorders. Journal of Eating Disorders. 9. 1-9.
Status: Published -
Årestedt, K., Israelsson, J., Djukanovic, I., Herlitz, J., Carlsson, J., et al. (2021). Symptom Prevalence of Anxiety and Depression in Older Cardiac Arrest Survivors : A Comparative Nationwide Register Study. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 10 (18).
Status: Published -
Petersson, S., Clinton, D., Brudin, L., Perseius, K., Norring, C. (2018). Perfectionism in Eating Disorders : Are Long-Term Outcomes Influenced by Extent and Changeability in Initial Perfectionism?. Journal for Person-Oriented Research. 4 (1). 1-14.
Status: Published -
Petersson, S., Johnsson, P., Perseius, K. (2017). A sisyphean task : experiences of perfectionism in patients with eating disorders. Journal of Eating Disorders. 5 (3). 1-11.
Status: Published -
Petersson, S., Perseius, K., Johnsson, P. (2014). Perfectionism and sense of coherence among patients with eating disorders. Nordic Journal of Psychiatry. 68 (6). 409-415.
Status: Published
Article, review/survey (Refereed)
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Bartels, S.L., Taygar, A.S., Johnsson, S.I., Petersson, S., Flink, I., et al. (2023). Using Personas in the development of eHealth interventions for chronic pain : A scoping review and narrative synthesis. Internet Interventions. Elsevier. 32.
Status: Published