Dimensions Of Perfectionism Research Articles

Are Perfectionism Dimensions Vulnerability Factors for Depressive Symptoms after Controlling for Neuroticism? A Meta–analysis of 10 Longitudinal Studies

Extensive evidence suggests neuroticism is a higher–order personality trait that overlaps substantially with perfectionism dimensions and depressive symptoms. Such evidence raises an important question: Which perfectionism dimensions are vulnerability factors for depressive symptoms after controlling for neuroticism? To address this, a meta–analysis of research testing whether socially prescribed perfectionism, concern over mistakes, doubts about actions, personal standards, perfectionistic attitudes, self–criticism and self–oriented perfectionism predict change in depressive symptoms, after controlling for baseline depression and neuroticism, was conducted. A literature search yielded 10 relevant studies (N = 1,758). Meta–analysis using random–effects models revealed that all seven perfectionism dimensions had small positive relationships with follow–up depressive symptoms beyond baseline depression and neuroticism. Perfectionism dimensions appear neither redundant with nor captured by neuroticism. Results lend credence and coherence to theoretical accounts and empirical studies suggesting perfectionism dimensions are part of the premorbid personality of people vulnerable to depressive symptoms. Copyright © 2016 European Association of Personality Psychology

Maladaptive perfectionism as mediator among psychological control, eating disorders, and exercise dependence symptoms in habitual exerciser

Background and aimsThe current study examined the mediating role of maladaptive perfectionism among parental psychological control, eating disorder symptoms, and exercise dependence symptoms by gender in habitual exercisers.MethodsParticipants were 348 Italian exercisers (n = 178 men and n = 170 women; M age = 20.57, SD = 1.13) who completed self-report questionnaires assessing their parental psychological control, maladaptive perfectionism, eating disorder symptoms, and exercise dependence symptoms.ResultsResults of the present study confirmed the mediating role of maladaptive perfectionism for eating disorder and exercise dependence symptoms for the male and female exercisers in the maternal data. In the paternal data, maladaptive perfectionism mediated the relationships between paternal psychological control and eating disorder and exercise dependence symptoms as full mediator for female participants and as partial mediator for male participants.DiscussionFindings of the present study suggest that it may be beneficial to consider dimensions of maladaptive perfectionism and parental psychological control when studying eating disorder and exercise dependence symptoms in habitual exerciser.

Learning motivation and perfectionism in English language learning: An analysis of Taiwanese university students

This study aimed to identify the interrelations among background characteristic, measures of learning motivation and the dimension of perfectionism among Taiwanese English as foreign Language (EFL) university students. The instruments were a Likert-scale survey questionnaire which consisted of (1) the Work Preference Inventory (Students Version) created by Amabile, Hill, Hennessey, and Tighe (1994); and (2) the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale designed by Hewitt and Flett (1991). The results indicated that most students were intrinsically-motivated and were self-oriented perfectionists. It was found that both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations were significantly and positively associated with self-oriented perfectionism for EFL learning. The results also indicated that perfectionism differs significantly among the participated students in terms of age and majors. Students who aged 18 showed higher positive levels for perfectionism than students aged 20 and students from management majors had significantly higher perfectionism tendencies.

Exploring family origins of perfectionism: The impact of interparental conflict and parenting behaviors

The present study explored family origins of perfectionism among 382 college students aged 18–25 with an online survey (81.2% females, 89.3% Caucasians). We examined parental psychological control and autonomy support as a mechanism between interparental conflict and perfectionism dimensions. With structural equation modeling, results showed that psychological control was associated with personal standard, concern over mistakes and doubts about action, whereas autonomy support was associated with personal standard and organization. Interparental conflict had a direct effect on doubts about action when parenting was considered. In addition, interparental conflict had indirect effects on personal standard through psychological control and autonomy support, and on concern over mistakes and doubts about action through psychological control. The findings of the study identified interparental conflict as an important contributor to the development of perfectionism, and parenting behaviors as explanatory processes of the formation. Implications of the study and future directions of research were discussed.

Projecting perfection by hiding effort: supplementing the perfectionistic self-presentation scale with a brief self-presentation measure

Extensive research has illustrated the relevance of individual differences in perfectionistic self-presentation, but there has been little work on how perfectionistic self-presentation is expressed. The current research addressed this issue by examining the tendency to project a perfectionistic image by hiding effort. This research develops and evaluates a brief unifactorial measure as an extension of perfectionistic self-presentation. It is shown that the Perfectionistic Self-Presentation Hiding Effort Scale is reliable and valid in terms of its links with multidimensional perfectionism dimensions. Further, individual differences in seeming perfect while hiding effort accounted for unique variance in depression and social anxiety. Factors and processes that contribute to attempting to seem perfect while hiding effort are discussed.

When perfectionism is coupled with low achievement: The effects on academic engagement and help seeking in middle school

With a sample of 169 middle school students, the current study examined how two dimensions of perfectionism (i.e., personal standards [PS] and concern over mistakes [COM]) are related to academic engagement and help seeking behavior among peers in math classes. After controlling for gender and math achievement, COM was unrelated to most outcome variables but was positively related to avoidance of help seeking. This pattern was stronger among students with low PS. While PS was related to a desirable pattern of engagement (i.e., higher behavioral engagement, emotional engagement, and adaptive help seeking among peers), this was not the case for low-achieving students. Although modest in magnitude, the significant interactions suggested that PS did not buffer low-achieving students against expedient help seeking and disruptive behaviors.

La relación entre las dimensiones del perfeccionismo y la ansiedad frente a los exámenes en estudiantes de Psicología argentinos

Perfectionism (adaptive and maladaptive) and test anxiety have been studied separately in the university realm, and there is a paucity of published research examining their relationship, despite evident conceptual links. Since valid and reliable instruments for assessing both constructs are available in Argentina, the relationship between perfectionism and test anxiety was investigated in a sample of 102 students (86 females) through multiple linear regression analysis. Results indicated that the negative dimension of perfectionism, operationalised as a discrepancy, yielded a predictive capacity of 38% in the variability of test anxiety. However, the positive dimensions of perfectionism showed no explanatory power. These results are discussed in terms of their conceptual and clinical implications.

The Role of Current Depression Symptoms in Perfectionistic Stress Enhancement and Stress Generation

Perfectionism is a multidimensional construct that has been associated with more negative appraisals of stress and the generation of stressful life events. However, an understanding of the role of current depression symptoms on the relation of perfectionism dimensions to stress processes is lacking. In a 4-month prospective study with 503 first-year university students, we examined the moderating role of depression symptoms on the relation of two widely studied dimensions of perfectionism (i.e., self-oriented perfectionism, socially-prescribed perfectionism) to both stress enhancement and stress generation. Further, we tested Hewitt and Flett's (1993) specific vulnerability hypothesis, which suggests that particular dimensions of perfectionism should be theoretically matched to particular types of stressors. Self-oriented perfectionism was associated with more negative appraisals of, and the generation of, achievement-related stressors. Further, these relations were specific to participants with elevated ...

PERFECCIONISMO Y ESQUEMAS DESADAPTATIVOS TEMPRANOS: UN ESTUDIO CON ESTUDIANTES UNIVERSITARIOS

El objetivo del presente estudio fue evaluar la asociación entre el perfeccionismo, en sus dimensiones adaptativas y desadaptativas, y los esquemas desadaptativos tempranos (EDT) propuestos por Young (1999), en una población de adultos jóvenes universitarios estudiantes de Psicología (N=307). Además se examinó el rol predictivo de los EDT y dominios de esquemas sobre las dimensiones del perfeccionismo. Los instrumentos utilizados fueron: la Almost Perfect Scale-Revised (APS-R, Slaney et al., 2001; adaptado por Arana, Keegan, & Rutsztein, 2009) y el Schema Questionnaire-Short Form (SQ-SF, Young & Brown, 1994). Los resultados de las correlaciones mostraron que la escala Discrepancia del APS-R (representativa del aspecto disfuncional del perfeccionismo) se asocia significativamente con todos los EDT y todos los dominios de esquemas propuestos por Young. Las subescalas diseñadas para evaluar el perfeccionismo adaptativo, también presentan asociaciones significativas con creencias disfuncionales, aunque en mucho menor grado, siendo incluso en algunos casos la relación inversa. Los análisis de regresión múltiple dan cuenta que varios dominios de esquemas y EDT son predictores significativos del perfeccionismo desadaptativo, mientras que para el perfeccionismo adaptativo el único dominio que se mantuvo como predictor significativo fue el de Sobrevigilancia e Inhibición y el esquema Estándares Inflexibles.

English

Various studies on the conceptual framework of perfectionism construct use Hewitt Multi-dimensional Perfectionism Scale (HMPS), as a basic approach. The measure has a prominent role with respect to the theoretical considerations of perfectionism dimensions. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the scale. 479 undergraduate volunteers participated in this study. In this study, demographic questionnaire, Hewitt Multi-dimensional Perfectionism Scale (HMPS), Padua Inventory (PI_R), Obsessive Beliefs Questionnaire (OBQ-44) were administered. The original three factor structure was tested for the Turkish version of the scale by using confirmatory factor analysis. Convergent validity of the measure was evaluated. Internal consistency and 15- day temporal stability were computed in order to assess reliability of the measure. The confirmatory factor analysis replicated the validity of the three factor structure for the data obtained from Turkish sample. The measure has adequate reliability and validity in Turkish students. Key words: Perfectionism, validity, factor analysis, compulsive symptoms, obsessive beliefs.

Genetic and environmental contributions to perfectionism and its common factors

The aims of this study: (1) To evaluate the relative contributions of genetics and environment to perfectionism and it's two constructs: self-oriented, and socially prescribed perfectionism. (2) To clarify genetic and environmental common origins of both personal and social components. Methods: Participants were 258 pairs of adolescent Spanish twins. Socially prescribed and self-oriented perfectionism were assessed using the perfectionism subscale of the Eating Disorder Inventory. Statistics: univariate and bivariate twin models, according to sex. Results; Heritability of self-oriented perfectionism was 23% in boys and 30% in girls, and of socially prescribed perfectionism 39% in boys and 42% in girls. Bivariate analysis suggested a common genetic and environmental pathway model. The genetic correlation between both perfectionisms was 0.981 in boys and 0.704 in girls. The non-shared environmental correlation was 0.254 in boys and 0.259 in girls. Conclusions; genetic influences on perfectionism are moderate during adolescence. Our results point toward a shared genetic component underlying both kind of perfectionism. These findings generate doubts about the hypothesis of a leading role of genetics in the pathogenesis of Self-oriented perfectionism and of environment in socially prescribed. The high genetic correlation seems to indicate that self-oriented and socially prescribed are the same dimension of perfectionism.

Groups of perfectionists, test anxiety, and pre-exam coping in Argentine students

We addressed Gaudreau's claim (2012) relating to scrutiny the 2×2 model with narrow measures of perfectionism. Accordingly, we tested the model not only with another specific measure of perfectionism (the Almost Perfect Scale-Revised; Slaney, Rice, Mobley, Trippi, & Ashby, 2001) but also with a group-based approach, and with specific outcome measures in an Argentine sample of university students. 277 participants completed measures of perfectionism, test anxiety, and pre-exam coping. We concluded that our evidence does not support the purely self-critical subtype as more pathological than the other subtypes. Regarding correlational results, test anxiety was strongly linked to the negative dimension of perfectionism (discrepancy), while problem-orientation coping seemed to be associated with the positive dimension of perfectionism (high standards). From a group-based approach, maladaptive perfectionists tended to suffer more test anxiety than adaptive perfectionists, whereas this latter group did not do better than non-perfectionists. With respect to pre-exam coping, perfectionists were prone to select more problem-oriented strategies regardless of their levels of discrepancy. Finally, although this study was not focused on cross-cultural differences, findings on Latin Americans students could serve as a starting point to promote new research in this field.

Executive function moderates the association between fearful temperament and dimensions of perfectionism

Previous research has shown that perfectionism is a dimensional construct and that it may be predicted by factors such as temperament and executive function. However, no previous studies have connected these lines of research. The current study sought to test a path model examining the role of fearful temperament, the cognitive shift domain of executive function, and their interaction on separate dimensions of perfectionism (SOP-critical, SPP, and SOP-striving). Participants were 56 parent–child dyads recruited from the community. Children were 7–13years (51.8% male; 83.6% Caucasian, 9.1% African American). Overall the model fit the data well. Results indicated that fearful temperament and cognitive shift did not individually predict for any dimension of perfectionism. However, the interaction of fearful temperament and cognitive shift did predict for scores of SOP-critical and SPP, such that those children with higher cognitive shift deficits had a stronger effect of fearful temperament on dimensions of perfectionism. The interaction did not predict for scores of SOP-striving. These results, consistent with previous research, suggest that SOP-critical and SPP may represent maladaptive aspects of perfectionism, while SOP-striving may represent adaptive aspects of perfectionism. Further, it appears that maladaptive and adaptive perfectionism dimensions have separate developmental precipitants.

The Relationship Between Perfectionism and Overexcitabilities in Gifted Adolescents

Overexcitabilities and perfectionism are often discussed within the context of gifted education, given that both are observed among gifted individuals. The present research (a) explored the relationships between overexcitabilities and dimensions of healthy and unhealthy perfectionism and (b) determined the extent to which overexcitabilities are predictor variables for perfectionism among 130 gifted adolescents. Findings revealed a significant relationship, especially between Emotional overexcitabilities and dimensions of perfectionism. High Emotional, high Intellectual Overexcitabilities, and low Imaginational Overexcitability were also predictor variables for dimensions of healthy perfectionism. Findings shed insight into the relationship of overexcitabilities and perfectionism in light of Dabrowski’s Theory of Positive Disintegration, particularly the notion of overexcitabilities propelling one to achieve higher levels and overcoming negative dynamisms (e.g., guilt, shame, and self-criticism) associated with perfectionism. The study also provides validation of the relationship between emotional vulnerabilities such as heightened sensitivities, intensities, and perfectionism.

The effect of perfectionism on school burnout among adolescence: The mediator of self-esteem and coping style

Perfectionism is a powerful factor for school burnout, but the underlying mediating mechanism of this relationship remains unclear. To investigate the potential mediating roles of self-esteem and coping style in the association between perfectionism and school burnout among Chinese adolescents, a sample of 1222 middle school students was recruited. Path analysis showed that self-esteem and coping style partially mediated the relationship between perfectionism and school burnout. Specifically, maladaptive perfectionism exerted a positive indirect influence on school burnout through the mediators of self-esteem and task- and emotion-oriented coping styles. In contrast, adaptive perfectionism had a negative indirect effect on school burnout via these same mediators. Notably, self-esteem and emotion-oriented coping style had sequential mediating effects on the relations between the two dimensions of perfectionism and school burnout.

Perfectionism, weight and shape concerns, and low self-esteem: Testing a model to predict bulimic symptoms

Previous studies have tested multivariate models of bulimia pathology development, documenting that a confluence of perfectionism, body dissatisfaction, and low self-esteem is predictive of disordered eating. However, attempts to replicate these results have yielded controversial findings. The objective of the present study was to test an interactive model of perfectionism, weight and shape concerns, and self-esteem in a sample of patients affected by Eating Disorder (ED). One-hundred-sixty-seven ED patients received the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I (SCID-I), and they completed the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS-F). Several mediation analysis models were fit to test whether causal effects of concern over weight and shape on the frequency of bulimic episodes were mediated by perfectionism and moderated by low levels of self-esteem. Contrary to our hypotheses, we found no evidence that the causal relationship investigated was mediated by any of the dimensions of perfectionism. As a secondary finding, the dimensions of perfectionism, perceived criticism and parental expectations, were significantly correlated with the presence of bulimic symptoms. The validity of the interactive model remains controversial, and may be limited by an inadequate conceptualization of the perfectionism construct.

Perfectionism and attitudes toward cognitive enhancers (“smart drugs”)

Perfectionism is a personality disposition characterized by exceedingly high standards of performance and pressure to be perfect which may incline students to take cognitive enhancers (“smart drugs”) to boost their academic performance. So far, however, no study has investigated the relationships of multidimensional perfectionism and attitudes toward cognitive enhancers. The present study investigated these relationships in 272 university students examining different dimensions of perfectionism. Results showed that socially prescribed perfectionism, perfectionist concerns and doubts, and perceived parental pressure to be perfect showed positive correlations with attitudes favoring the use of cognitive enhancers. In contrast, self-oriented perfectionism, perfectionist personal standards, and organization showed negative correlations. The findings suggest that perfectionism may play a role as both a risk factor for and a protective factor against using cognitive enhancers depending on what dimensions of perfectionism are regarded.

Self-critical perfectionism and depressive symptoms: Low self-esteem and experiential avoidance as mediators

This study of community adults (N=210) aimed to gain a better understanding of the links among self-critical (SC) perfectionism, self-esteem, experiential avoidance, and depressive symptoms. Participants completed self-report questionnaires assessing perfectionism dimensions, self-esteem, experiential avoidance, and depressive symptoms. Confirmatory factor analysis supported SC perfectionism, self-esteem, experiential avoidance, and depressive symptoms as distinct, but related, constructs. Structural equation modeling (SEM) demonstrated that the relation between SC perfectionism and depressive symptoms was mediated by lower self-esteem. SEM also showed that experiential avoidance independently mediated the relation between SC perfectionism and depressive symptoms, controlling for the effects of lower self-esteem. These results distinguish SC perfectionism from lower self-esteem by demonstrating that individuals with higher SC perfectionism have a unique propensity toward experiential avoidance, which, in turn, incrementally explains why they experience higher levels of depressive symptoms.

Three-dimensional model of performance anxiety: Tests of the adaptive potential of the regulatory dimension of anxiety

ObjectivesTo predict the complex anxiety-performance dynamics, Cheng and associates (Cheng, Hardy, & Markland, 2009, 2011; Cheng, Hardy, & Woodman, 2011) proposed a three-dimensional model of anxiety that highlighted the adaptive potential of anxiety, and was supported with regard to cross-cultural factorial validity and predictive validity in the context of sports performance. In particular, this anxiety model included a regulatory dimension (reflected by perceived control) in addition to the conventional intensity-oriented dimensions of cognitive and physiological anxiety. DesignTo further examine the characteristics of the hypothesized adaptive potential of the regulatory dimension of anxiety, a series of three studies were conducted to investigate the relationship mainly between the regulatory dimension and three psychological variables proposed to be related to performance and stress, namely, perfectionism, self-talk and coping strategy. MethodChinese sports participants and dancers completed self-report measures. Hierarchical multiple regression was adopted for data analysis. ResultsThe findings showed that the regulatory dimension of anxiety was positively predicted by relatively adaptive dimensions of perfectionism (personal standards) and self-talk (motivational and instructional self-talk), and positively predicted approach coping. ConclusionsOverall, these data support the hypothesized characteristics of the adaptive potential underlying the regulatory dimension of anxiety. Future research and applied implications are suggested.

Perfectionism as a Predictor of Suicidal Risk in Turkish College Students: Does Loneliness Contribute to Further Risk?

In the present study, we examined perfectionism and loneliness as predictors of suicidal risk (viz., depressive symptoms & suicide ideation) in a sample of 288 (170 females and 118 males) Turkish college students. Results of conducting hierarchical regression analyses indicated that certain dimensions of perfectionism, namely, doubts about actions and parental criticism, accounted for significant variance in both depressive symptoms and suicide ideation. The inclusion of loneliness as a predictor was found to predict additional unique variance in both suicidal risk measures, beyond what was accounted for by perfectionism. Results of predicting suicide ideation, controlling for depressive symptoms, indicated that parental criticism was the only significant perfectionism dimension to emerge. However, loneliness continued to account for a significant amount of additional unique variance. Some implications of the present findings for understanding suicidal risk in Turkish students are discussed.