Meeting High Standards: The Effect of Perfectionism on Task Performance, Self-Esteem, and Self-Efficacy in College Students

Abstract

Perfectionism is currently believed to be a multidimensional construct. This study focused on the perspective that perfectionism has both positive and negative qualities. Specifically, this study predicted that adaptive perfectionists would perform better on a task and have higher levels of self-esteem and self-efficacy than maladaptive perfectionists. Maladaptive perfectionists, in general, have been found to have lower performance, self-esteem, and self-efficacy. Sixty-five university students completed two trials on the O’Conner Tweezer Dexterity Test and completed questionnaires about perfectionism, self-esteem, and self-efficacy. As predicted, the adaptive perfectionists showed the greatest performance increases on the task as well as reporting higher self-esteem and self-efficacy than the other perfectionist styles. This study supports the perspective that perfectionism can be positive and negative.