Mattering matters for students high in socially prescribed perfectionism as they transition to university: Support for a moderation model

Abstract

The transition from high school to university demands for life adjustments and leaves young adults at risk for mental health difficulties. The current study tested a moderation model to examine socially prescribed perfectionism, mattering (i.e., feeling important to others), and an interaction between the two as predictors of depressive symptoms during the first year of university. We hypothesized that mattering would be protective such that it would moderate the perfectionism-depressive symptoms relationship. Participants (N = 152) completed self-report measures assessing socially prescribed perfectionism, mattering, and depressive symptoms. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that socially prescribed perfectionism predicted greater depressive symptoms, while mattering predicted lower depressive symptoms. Further, mattering significantly moderated the association between socially prescribed perfectionism and depressive symptoms such that high levels of mattering diminished the relationship. Results suggest that a sense of mattering may mitigate the risk for depressive symptoms in students high in socially prescribed perfectionism as they transition to university.