High Levels Of Perfectionism Research Articles

Perfectionism and Pain Intensity in Women with Fibromyalgia: Its Influence on Activity Avoidance from The Contextual Perspective.

Given the scarcity of studies regarding perfectionism from a contextual perspective, this study aims to analyze its role in the relationship between pain and activity avoidance and its differential effect among patients with different fibromyalgia severity. A cross-sectional study with 228 women with fibromyalgia classified into two disease severity groups (low/moderate vs. high) was carried out. Moderation analyses were conducted; perfectionism was used as moderator, pain (in high and low pain situations) as independent variable, and activity avoidance as the outcome. Among the high disease severity group, analyses showed direct contributions of perfectionism (p < 0.001) but not of pain (p > 0.05); moderation effects were found in high pain situations (p = 0.002) (for low levels of perfectionism, a positive association was found between pain intensity and avoidance). Among the low severity group, direct effects of perfectionism (p < 0.05) and pain intensity (p = 0.04) were found (although the latter only for high pain situations); moderation effects were found in high pain situations (p = 0.018) (for high levels of perfectionism a positive and significant association was found between pain intensity and avoidance). Perfectionism has been found to be a key variable in the differential relationship between pain intensity (in high pain situations) and activity avoidance in groups with high and low disease severity.

Personality factors and vulnerability to post-traumatic stress responses after childbirth.

To investigate whether levels of perfectionism, organization, and intolerance of uncertainty predispose women to more negative birth experiences and post-partum post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Birth experience was also examined as a potential moderator of the relationship between levels of the personality traits and post-natal PTSS. Prospective survey. First-time expectant mothers (N=10,000) were contacted via Emma's Diary during the perinatal period. At 32-42weeks' gestation, participants completed measures examining the three personality traits and prenatal mood. At 6-12weeks' post-partum, instruments assessing childbirth experience, birth trauma, PTSS, and post-natal mood were completed. Data from 418 women were analysed. Higher perfectionism and intolerance of uncertainty were associated with more negative birth appraisals and PTSS. Organization was unrelated to birth experience or PTSS. In a regression, higher intolerance of uncertainty and perfectionism statistically predicted more negative birth appraisals. Only perfectionism predicted PTSS. Birth experience did not moderate the relationship between perfectionism or intolerance of uncertainty and PTSS. Personality risk factors for negative birth experiences and post-natal PTSS are identifiable prenatally. Maternity care providers could educate women about the unique roles of high perfectionism and intolerance of uncertainty during antenatal birth preparation. Women who expect themselves to be more perfect or who find it more difficult to cope with uncertainty had more negative experiences of childbirth. Women with higher levels of perfectionism were more likely to experience more symptoms of post-traumatic stress during the early post-natal period. Being more perfectionistic continued to have a more negative effect on women's well-being after birth, regardless of whether they had a positive or negative experience of birth. Integrating these findings into antenatal discussion around birth preferences would increase women's awareness of predisposing and obstetric risk factors that partially explain experiences of unsatisfactory births and post-partum post-traumatic stress.

How to Cope with Perfectionism? Perfectionism as a Risk Factor for Suicidality and the Role of Cognitive Coping in Adolescents

Suicide among adolescents is a significant health concern. Gaining more knowledge about markers that contribute to or protect against suicide is crucial. Perfectionism is found to be a personality trait that is strongly predictive for suicidality; it can be divided into personal standards perfectionism (PS) and concerns about mistakes and doubts perfectionism (CMD). This study investigated the association between PS, CMD, and suicidality in a sample of 273 Dutch secondary school students aged between 12 and 15 years old (M = 13.54, SD = 0.58, 55.8% males). We also examined whether adaptive, or maladaptive cognitive coping strategies influenced these associations. We hypothesized that students high in PS or CMD would experience an increased suicidality. Moreover, we expected that adaptive coping strategies would act as buffer between the association of perfectionism and suicidality, and that maladaptive coping strategies would strengthen this association. For analyses, we used a regression model with latent variables. The results showed that higher scores in perfectionism (PS and CMD) were related to an increase in suicidality. High levels of maladaptive coping in combination with high levels of perfectionism were associated with an increase in suicidality. Although adaptive coping was related to a decrease in suicidality, adaptive coping in interaction with PS and with CMD was not a predictor of suicidality. The results are relevant for prevention, and intervention programs. This paper makes recommendations for clinical practice and further research in order to prevent suicidality in adolescents.

SCHOOL ANXIETY IN ADOLESCENTS-PERFECTIONISTS: CORRECTION EXPERIENCE

The article is devoted to the study of school anxiety in adolescents-perfectionists and exploring ways of its correction. It was found that high levels of perfectionism in adolescents can increase the probability of impaired emotional well-being and, in particular, excessive levels of anxiety. To determine the level of perfectionism and components of school anxiety in pupils, two psychodiagnostic methods were used: the “Child-Adolescent Perfectionism Scale” by P. Hewitt and G. Flett and the “Multidimensional Anxiety Scale” by K. Malkova. The study of school anxiety was conducted in two stages: before and after correction. The correction involved setting realistic goals and adequate requirements for oneself; formation the ability for justified risk; shifting focus on achievement, not failure. The results of a comparative analysis of anxiety before and after correction in the participants of the experimental group indicated a statistically significant decrease anxiety related to the assessment of others; anxiety in relationships with teachers; anxiety related to school success; anxiety in knowledge testing situations. The results of a comparative analysis of experimental and control groups adolescents-perfectionists confirmed the effectiveness of corrective action aimed at reducing school anxiety due to the presence of destructive perfectionist attitudes.

Asceticism, perfectionism and overcontrol in youth with eating disorders

Personality traits such as perfectionism and asceticism, and combinations of these traits (i.e., overcontrol) have been related to eating disorder (ED) diagnosis, symptoms, and chronicity in adult patients with EDs. However, as limited evidence exists in adolescents, the aim of the present study was to examine these links in a clinical sample of adolescents with EDs. A retrospective chart review was conducted on 178 adolescents (91% females; Mage = 15.73years, SD = 1.31) receiving services at a tertiary care pediatric ED program. An examination of variability in mean levels of perfectionism, asceticism, and overcontrol across ED symptom groups (restrictive and binge/purge ED subtypes) was conducted to learn of diagnostic differences, while correlations were used to explore the association of these personality traits with comorbid anxiety and depressive symptoms. Hierarchical linear regression was used to assess whether overcontrol was related to length of stay (LOS) in an inpatient program. Results indicated that adolescents with binge-purge symptoms had higher levels of perfectionism, asceticism and overcontrol compared to those with restrictive symptoms, and that greater levels of perfectionism, asceticism and overcontrol were associated with elevated depression and anxiety symptoms. Additionally, overcontrol predicted greater LOS in the inpatient ED program. Results suggest the importance of assessing, monitoring and targeting overcontrol in treatment for adolescents with EDs given its impact on comorbid symptoms and LOS. Level III, evidence obtained from case-control analytic studies.

Perfectionism in Intensive Residential Treatment of Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder

Perfectionism is frequently noted in obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and some data suggest that treatment outcomes with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) are poorer for OCD patients with higher levels of perfectionism. However, this literature includes inconsistent findings and has thus far been limited to outpatient samples. Existing studies have also not utilized measures of perfectionism in-line with the multidimensional nature of this construct, which includes both adaptive and maladaptive forms of perfectionism. This study administered measures of multidimensional perfectionism and OCD severity at admission and discharge in a large sample (N = 154) of adult OCD patients undergoing intensive residential treatment (IRT). Results indicated that more perfectionistic patients had slightly longer treatment duration. Adjusting for treatment duration and baseline severity, pre-treatment perfectionism did not significantly predict OCD outcomes. However, all domains of perfectionism significantly improved following treatment, and changes in perfectionism significantly predicted OCD outcomes. In particular, greater reduction in maladaptive perfectionism uniquely predicted better OCD symptom outcomes. These results suggest that high initial levels of perfectionism may not prevent OCD patients from benefitting from IRT, and that reduction in perfectionism significantly accounts for OCD treatment gains. Limitations and avenues for future research are discussed.

A Neuropsychological Investigation of Perfectionism

Perfectionism entails a burdensome preoccupation with one’s self-evaluation in the context of performance outcomes. Although perfectionism has been subject to extensive research, scant literature on its effect on cognitive functioning is available, let alone in nonclinical populations. The aim of the present study is to utilize a comprehensive neuropsychological battery to assess cognitive functions among college students with high and low levels of perfectionism. Participants were 98 college students who were screened for clinical status, completed a neuropsychological battery, and assessed for perfectionism and related symptomatology. Results revealed that the high negative perfectionism group had significantly higher levels of depression and stress compared to the low negative perfectionism group. However, no group differences were found across neuropsychological outcomes. Gradient differences on clinical outcome measures were found when three groups characterized by high adaptive, high maladaptive, and mixed perfectionism were compared. However, no differences were found on neuropsychological tests. These findings suggest that higher levels of negative perfectionism are associated with significant psychopathological burden, but with intact neuropsychological test performance. These results are important, particularly in the context of the need to identify and treat students struggling with high levels of perfectionism and related psychopathological burden, which can be overlooked given that they present with intact cognitive and academic performance.

Investigating transdiagnostic factors in eating disorders: Does self-esteem moderate the relationship between perfectionism and eating disorder symptoms?

According to Fairburns transdiagnostic model of eating disorders (EDs), high levels of perfectionism and low self-esteem are two core traits across EDs. This study investigates the role of self-esteem as a transdiagnostic moderator of the relationship between perfectionism and ED symptoms across EDs. A large group of patients (n=732) completed several questionnaires measuring perfectionism, self-esteem, and disordered eating symptomatology, more specifically, drive for thinness (DFT) and body dissatisfaction (BD). Across EDs, self-esteem served as a moderator for the association between perfectionism and DFT. However, by testing the model for DFT in each ED separately, the effect only remained in patients with anorexia nervosa and ED not otherwise specified. When testing the model for BD, no moderation effect was found in any of the included EDs. This study found that the interaction between perfectionism and self-esteem on DFT can be seen as transdiagnostic, although this effect is not found in each ED separately. These results suggest that ED treatment should consider to not only focus on transdiagnostic factors but also look at the specific impairments of each individual ED.

Evaluating Associations Between Perfectionism, Emotion Regulation, and Eating Disorder Symptoms in a Mixed-Gender Sample.

Prior research supports maladaptive perfectionism as a risk factor for eating disorders; however, not all individuals with elevated levels of perfectionism endorse eating pathology, suggesting additional variables may interact with perfectionism to account for this association. The current study examined the influence of difficulties in emotion regulation on the relation between perfectionism and eating disorders. Undergraduate students (N = 309, 50.7% male) from a large university completed measures of perfectionism, emotion dysregulation, and eating pathology. The results indicated that high levels of perfectionism only accounted for significant variance in eating disorder symptoms among individuals with limited access to adaptive strategies to regulate emotions, but not among those with greater access to adaptive strategies. Findings demonstrate that clinicians and researchers should consider the role of emotion regulation among individuals with elevated levels of perfectionism and eating pathology. Future research should prospectively evaluate these associations and examine mechanisms that may further elucidate these relations.

Comparative Social Media Use and the Mental Health of Mothers With High Levels of Perfectionism

Social media is thought to communicate idealized images and discourses of motherhood. As such, it may present as a risk factor for poor mental health in mothers who strive for perfection and compare themselves to the ideals presented on social media. The present study examined the influence of Facebook and In-stagram on the relationship between perfectionism in mothers and their mental health. A sample of 201 mothers completed an online survey. Two dimensions of perfectionism were assessed: Self-Orientated Parenting Perfectionism (SOPP) and Societal-Prescribed Parenting Perfectionism (SPPP). Mediation models were conducted to examine social media frequency and social comparison respectively on the relationship between perfectionism and maternal mental health. Results revealed that for mothers with SOPP, the process of social comparison with other mothers on social media contributed to symptoms of anxiety and depression. The amount of time engaging in social media however, had no impact. In contrast, for mothers with SPPP, the amount of time spent on Facebook contributed to symptoms of depression and anxiety, while the process of social comparison led to anxiety symptoms alone. Social comparison appears to be important for perfectionistic mothers who use social media, as this may contribute to negative mental health outcomes.

The relationship between perfectionism and mental illness stigma

Despite experiencing higher levels of psychological distress, individuals with high levels of perfectionism are more reluctant to seek treatment for psychological issues and they are often treatment resistant when in treatment. Mental illness stigma has been shown to be a significant barrier to treatment seeking in other populations and it stands to reason that it may play a key role for individuals with high levels of perfectionism as well. As such, the primary goal of this study was to discern whether individuals who differ along the continuum of various types of perfectionism also differ in terms of mental illness beliefs in ways that suggest awareness of and concern about being stigmatized. In addition, we examined links between perfectionism and attitudes towards seeking help and self-stigma for seeking help. A sample of 140 university students completed the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale and the Perfectionistic Self-Presentation Scale and separate measures of mental illness beliefs, help-seeking attitudes, and self-stigma for seeking help. Analyses found that perfectionistic self-presentation was associated with unfavorable mental illness attitudes overall. Our results suggest that targeted interventions to reduce mental illness stigma should be tailored to address the beliefs and concerns of perfectionistic people who are vulnerable to distress.

Perfectionism and Polysomnography-Determined Markers of Poor Sleep.

Perfectionism has been suggested to represent a predisposing factor for poor sleep. However, previous studies have relied on self-reported measures. The association between perfectionism and poor sleep measured by polysomnography (PSG) warrants further investigation. The current retrospective exploratory study used the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale and PSG in an unselected sample of 334 consecutive sleep laboratory patients (140 males, 194 females, 44.6 ± 15.9 years). Data were analyzed using linear regression analyses. High levels of perfectionism were associated with PSG-determined markers of poor sleep in the first sleep laboratory night. The total Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale score was significantly associated with the number of nocturnal awakenings in the first sleep laboratory night. The subscales "concern over mistakes" and "personal standards" of perfectionism were significantly associated with markers of poor sleep. In contrast, there were only a few associations between perfectionism and PSG variables of the second sleep laboratory night. This pattern of results suggests that high levels of perfectionism may predispose individuals to sleep disturbances in the context of acute stressors. Thus, the influence of perfectionism on poor sleep should be further investigated to improve treatment.

Is perfect good? \u2013 Dimensions of perfectionism in newly admitted medical students

BackgroundSociety expects physicians to perform perfectly but high levels of perfectionism are associated with symptoms of distress in medical students. This study investigated whether medical students admitted to medical school by different selection criteria differ in the occurrence of perfectionism.MethodsNewly enrolled undergraduate medical students (n = 358) filled out the following instruments: Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS-H), Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS-F), Big Five Inventory (BFI-10), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE), Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7). Sociodemographic data such as age, gender, high school degrees, and the way of admission to medical school were also included in the questionnaire.ResultsThe 298 participating students had significantly lower scores in Socially-Prescribed Perfectionism than the general population independently of their way of admission to medical school. Students who were selected for medical school by their high school degree showed the highest score for Adaptive Perfectionism. Maladaptive Perfectionism was the strongest predictor for the occurrence symptoms of depression and anxiety regardless of the way of admission.ConclusionsStudents from all admission groups should be observed longitudinally for performance and to assess whether perfectionism questionnaires might be an additional useful instrument for medical school admission processes.

The relationship of perfectionism with psychological symptoms in cancer patients and the contributing role of hyperarousability and coping

Objective: Significant levels of anxiety, depression and insomnia symptoms are found in cancer patients. Perfectionism, arousability and coping have been associated with these psychological symptoms in the general population but their role among cancer patients remains to be assessed. This study examined the longitudinal relationships between perfectionism and psychological symptoms (anxiety, depression, insomnia), and the intermediate role of the arousability trait and coping strategies.Design: Participants (N = 853) completed the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, the Coping with Health Injuries and Problems questionnaire and the Arousal Predisposition Scale at the perioperative period (T1), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Insomnia Severity Index two months later (T2).Results: Higher levels of perfectionism (T1) were correlated with greater symptoms of anxiety, depression and insomnia (T2). Moderated mediation models indicated that arousability contributed to the association of perfectionism with all symptoms, with stronger associations found in men than in women. Coping was a significant pathway between perfectionism and anxiety, with associations of a comparable magnitude across sexes.Conclusion: If these results are replicated by future longitudinal studies, they would suggest that perfectionist cancer patients are at a higher risk of experiencing psychological symptoms, partly through their hyperarousability and the coping strategies they use.

Emotional Control Mediates the Association Between Dimensions of Perfectionism and Worry in Children.

Previous research has shown that perfectionism predicts for increased worry in children. Theoretically, children with high levels of perfectionism may show a decreased ability to control their emotions during times of perceived failure. Children may then worry as a maladaptive attempt to cope with intense emotions. The current study sought to test the mediating role of emotional control on the relation between perfectionism dimensions and worry in children. Participants were 66 parent-child dyads. Children were 7-13years (50% male; 77.3% Caucasian, 9.1% African American). Overall the model fit the data well. Results indicated that perfectionism domains predicted for emotional control deficits and increased worry. Emotional control also partially mediated the relation between perfectionism dimensions and worry. These results suggest that emotional control may be one mechanism through which perfectionism exerts its effect on worry and perfectionistic children may worry due to difficulty controlling their emotional responses.

Yips and Lost Move Syndrome: Assessing impact and exploring levels of perfectionism, rumination, and reinvestment

This study examined whether the yips and lost move syndrome (LMS) are associated with higher levels of perfectionism, rumination, and reinvestment, and whether individuals experiencing these problems perceive them as highly stressful. Samples of yips (N=15) and LMS-affected (N=15) individuals, and two matched control groups, completed the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (FMPS; Frost, Marten, Lahart &amp; Rosenblate, 1990), the Ruminative Response Scale (RRS; Nolen-Hoeksema, 1991), the Reinvestment Scale (RS; Masters, Polman &amp; Hammond, 1993), and the Impact of Event Scale (IES; Horowitz, Wilner &amp; Alverez, 1979). Findings indicate higher scores in the yips and LMS groups for perfectionism, rumination, reinvestment, and IES compared to their respective control groups. The results suggest that rumination, reinvestment, and aspects of perfectionism increase vulnerability to the yips and LMS, and that both the yips and LMS are equally distressing.

Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalo-myelitis--pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment.

Pathophysiology Heredity can predispose to chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (2), as can certain personality traits such as high levels of perfectionism (3). Long-lasting infections, such as mononucleosis, are established triggers (4), but critical life events can also play a part (5). Maintaining factors include altered cognitive function, especially executive dysfunction (6), increased sympathetic and decreased parasympathetic nerve activity, which affects cardiovascular regulation (7, 8), and reduced responsivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis) (9). A number of studies have also reported immunological changes characterised by mild systemic inflammation (increase in proinflammatory cytokines) and impaired NK cell function (10), but here there are contradictory findings. One problem is publication bias, whereby sporadic positive findings are reported because they are original and exciting, but in time turn out to be false positives. This problem was illustrated in a recently published review article (11). The authors examined 38 articles featuring a total of 77 immunological markers, many of which were reported as positive in single studies. The only replicated positive marker was TGF-, the others were negative in the vast majority of studies. Whether TGF- is a

Perfectionism Affects Blood Pressure in Response to Repeated Exposure to Stress.

This pilot study examined the effects of perfectionism on blood pressure (BP) in response to repeated exposure to mental arithmetic stressors. College students (N = 30) in a laboratory setting were administered a series of challenging mathematical tasks. BP was measured at baseline and after each task. Multilevel modelling analyses revealed that BP tended to decline over the course of the mathematical tasks. However, higher levels of performance standards predicted relatively stable levels of systolic BP, whereas moderate and lower levels of standards predicted declines in systolic BP. Higher levels of self-critical perfectionism predicted generally sustained levels of diastolic BP, with moderate and low self-criticism predicting declines in diastolic BP during the repeated stressors. These preliminary results suggest that students with higher levels of perfectionism may be at risk for physiological problems associated with stress reactivity, perhaps especially so in situations in which they experience persistent stress. Although results were qualified by a relatively small sample size, effects were statistically significant and supported the importance of examining the short-term and long-term implications of the effects of perfectionism on cardiovascular function and the different implications of elevations in systolic and diastolic BP.

Perfectionism Dimensions and Resistance to Peer Influences in Adolescence

Research showed that low resistance to peer influence is considered a risk factor in developing vulnerability toward socio- cultural promoted models. A personality trait that favours compliance to social standards is perfectionism. Peoples with high levels of perfectionism have higher expectations for themselves and lower self-esteem. Lately, perfectionism is analysed as a multidimensional concept, studies making a distinction between social and individual dimensions of perfectionism. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between perfectionism dimensions and resistance to peer influence in adolescence. Specific types of perfectionism were examined. Results showed that only perfectionist self-promotion and nondisplay of imperfection were related to low resistance to peer influences.

Perfectionism moderates stereotype threat effects on STEM majors' academic performance.

Using a randomized, between-subjects experimental design, we tested hypotheses that self-critical perfectionism would moderate the effects of subtle stereotype threat (ST) for women and students in underrepresented racial/ethnic groups who are pursuing traditional degrees in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM). A diverse sample of freshmen students (N = 294) was recruited from 2 major universities. Students were blocked by gender and race/ethnicity and randomly assigned to experience subtle ST or no ST. Participants in the subtle ST condition were primed to consider their gender, race, and ethnicity prior to completing measures of science self-efficacy. Those in the control condition completed the measures without such priming. Controlling for prior academic performance and university context, ST priming significantly interacted (a) with self-critical perfectionism to predict coping self-efficacy scores and (b) with race/ethnicity to predict end-of-semester STEM grades. A 3-way interaction of ST priming, sex, and self-critical perfectionism also predicted students' grades in courses wherein women and men were more proportionally represented. The Sex × Self-Critical Perfectionism interaction was not significant for those in the ST group but was for those in the control group. Men in the control group had higher grade-point averages (GPAs) at low levels of self-critical perfectionism than they had at higher levels of perfectionism. In contrast, women had lower GPAs when self-critical perfectionism was low, but their GPAs were higher when self-critical perfectionism was high. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for self-efficacy and performance in the pursuit of a STEM major.