Dimensions Of Perfectionism Research Articles

Focus on the Beauty of Body: The Mediation Role of Body Appreciation Between Perfectionism and Body-Related Shame and Body-Related Guilt.

Objectives: According to traditional views, perfectionists are prone to experience shame and guilt. As a relative part of negative body image, body appreciation reflects an appreciation attitude toward physical characteristics, functionality, and health, accepting and appreciating all parts and functions of the body, predicting body-related shame and guilt.Methods: Therefore, body appreciation was examined for its potential mediating role in the relationship between two dimensions of perfectionism (e.g., healthy perfectionism and unhealthy perfectionism) and body-related shame and body-related guilt among 514 females.Results: The results highlight that body appreciation partially mediated the relationship between perfectionism and body-related shame and body-related guilt. Implications for enhancing body appreciation among females between experiencing healthy or unhealthy perfectionism and body-related shame and body-related guilt feelings are discussed.Conclusions: These findings underscore the importance of considering body appreciation in addressing perfectionism dimensions and body-related shame and body-related guilt. Research and clinical implications are also addressed.

COVID-19 psychological impact: The role of perfectionism

Psychological reactions to pandemics and their constraints depend heavily on personality. Although perfectionism is consistently associated to depression, anxiety and stress, its role in the pandemics' psychological impact has not been yet empirically studied. Our aim was to analyze the role of perfectionism in psychological distress during the pandemic of COVID-19, testing whether it is mediated by fear of COVID-19 and repetitive negative thinking/RNT. Participants (N = 413 adults; 269.2% women) were recruited from September until December 2020, via social networks. They completed self-report validated questionnaires to evaluate perfectionism dimensions (self-critical, rigid and narcissistic perfectionism), fear of COVID-19, RNT and psychological distress (sum of anxiety, depression and stress symptoms). As women had significantly higher levels of self-critical perfectionism, RNT, fear of COVID-19 and psychological distress, gender was controlled in mediation analysis. The three perfectionism dimensions correlated with RNT, fear of COVID-19 and psychological distress. The effect of self-critical perfectionism on psychological distress was partially mediated by fear of COVID-19 and RNT whereas the effect of rigid and narcissistic perfectionism was fully mediated. Perfectionism influences emotional and cognitive responses to the COVID-19 and therefore should be considered both in the prevention and psychological consequences of the pandemic.

Combined effects, total unique effects and relative weights of perfectionism

It has recently been argued that because the major two dimensions of perfectionism (perfectionistic strivings and perfectionistic concerns, PS and PC) can have opposing effects, the “combined effect” should be calculated to understand whether, overall, perfectionism is neutral, adaptive, or maladaptive. In this methodological note we revisit the task of disentangling the overall effects of PS and PC. In doing so, we illustrate a new and alternative approach – calculation of the total unique effect and the relative weights of PS and PC. The total unique effect is the simplest way of ascertaining whether perfectionism is neutral, adaptive, or maladaptive. However, like the combined effect, it does not convey information regarding the relative importance of PS and PC. Calculating the relative weights of PS and PC does so and provides a fuller account of the overall effect of perfectionism and the precise role of each dimension when predicting a given outcome. We close the paper by applying this approach to a range of outcomes reported in recent meta-analyses in this area. In doing so, perfectionism is revealed to be primarily maladaptive and rarely adaptive or neutral, with the relative contribution of perfectionistic concerns being the main reason why this is the case.

International and Domestic Graduate Student Satisfaction with Life

With increasing mental health problems witnessed among students, adequately addressing their well-being is becoming important on college campuses. This study compares international and domestic graduate students in the USA on domains that are relevant to both student groups (perfectionistic personality, academic stress) and how these factors combinedly predict satisfaction with life. With 531 international and 359 domestic graduate students, results found support for perfectionism and academic stress predicting life satisfaction in both groups with notable similarities and differences. For perfectionists in both student groups, the level of academic stress was an important factor that determines satisfaction with life. Interestingly, for international students only, a perfectionism dimension that has been traditionally considered adaptive (“Standards”) functioned in a maladaptive way. Findings from this study suggest that international and domestic students share similarities and differences that should be noted.

Studying Social Media Burnout and Problematic Social Media use: The implication of perfectionism and metacognitions

Social Media Burnout (SMB) is a relatively new Internet-related issue, and has garnered interest in research this past decade. Prior studies found significant associations between perfectionism and metacognitions with anxiety, stress-related disorders, and Internet-related disorders. This present study explored connections between problematic social media use (PSM), perfectionism, metacognitions, online cognitions, and SMB to identify factors that might contribute to SMB. A sample of 825 participants, aged from 18 to 75 years old (M ​= ​30, SD ​= ​11.9), with 700 (85%) female participants, completed an online survey measuring problematic Instagram use (PIgU), problematic Facebook use (PFU), perfectionism, metacognitions, online cognitions, and SMB. Overall, Pearson's Correlations indicated that both PIgU and PFU were each associated to four out of five metacognition dimensions, and were associated to dimensions of perfectionism. A Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that SMB was significantly impacted by age, PIgU, all online cognition subscales, socially prescribed positive perfectionism, self-oriented negative perfectionism, and metacognitive beliefs about uncontrollability of thoughts and danger. Considering that SMB is a new topic, findings of this study provide new information about factors that are potentially implicated in SMB (PSM, perfectionism, metacognitions, online cognitions). Implications for further research were discussed.

The evolution of perfectionistic concerns and strivings in the proximity of exams: Evidence from a short-term longitudinal study

To date, little is known about the short-term dynamics of perfectionism in undergraduate students, especially in certain potentially activating contexts, such as the proximity of the exam session. The aim of the present study was to address this methodological limitation and literature gap by conducting a latent growth curve model analysis of students’ perfectionistic concerns and strivings in the proximity of exams, to detect and explain the potential heterogeneity in their growth trajectories. The study sample consisted of 242 undergraduate students who participated at four-time points (228 at T0, 171 at T1, 225 at T2, and 146 at T3), spaced four weeks apart, between the beginning of the first academic semester and the beginning of the exam session. The results showed that while perfectionistic concerns displayed a significant overall growth trajectory during this period of time, perfectionistic strivings were rather stable personality traits, less dependent on contextual factors. Regarding the individual differences in perfectionism dimensions, the findings showed that there was a significant inter-individual variability around both the initial level and the overall growth trajectory of perfectionistic concerns. However, only the perceived teachers' expectations explained significantly part of the variations around the initial level of perfectionistic concerns.

The roles of latent perfectionism classes in academicians’ tendencies toward workaholism, useless superiority effort and narcissism

Although previous research has identified that perfectionism is associated with both narcissism and workaholism, research into the specific roles of potential perfectionism classes in these personality dynamics is currently unavailable. Furthermore, no study has investigated if the “useless superiority effort” dimension of inferiority feelings, which indicates an increased need for superiority over others potentially to overcome self-perceived inferiorities, is related to other important personality dynamics. This study was therefore conducted to identify if potential perfectionism classes that exist among academicians (N = 317) can simultaneously explain significant differences in their tendencies toward workaholism, narcissism, and useless superiority effort, after controlling for potential social desirability effect. A latent class analysis of two dimensions of perfectionism (discrepancy and high standards) revealed four distinct classes of academicians; non-perfectionists (NONPs; 20%), maladaptive perfectionists (MPs; 17%), normal perfectionists (NPs; 44%) and adaptive perfectionists (APs; 19%). Further analysis (MANCOVA) showed that while MPs have the highest tendencies toward workaholism and useless superiority effort, NONPs have the lowest tendencies toward these. Moreover, APs reported significantly lower useless superiority than NPs, despite scoring similarly on both narcissism and workaholism. Additionally, based on workaholism being related to narcissism, high standards and discrepancy dimensions of perfectionism, as well as useless superiority effort, while weekly work hours are not, it can be suggested that workaholism is qualitatively different from working long hours.

Perfectionistic tipping points: Re-probing interactive effects of perfectionism.

Researchers have recently turned their attention to examining interactive effects of dimensions of perfectionism in sport and exercise. This is typified by research testing the 2 × 2 model of perfectionism (Gaudreau & Thompson, 2010) and the use of simple slopes analysis to probe statistically significant interactions. The aim of this study is to illustrate a different approach to probe statistically significant interactions, the Johnson-Neyman (J-N) technique, and how it can identify the specific level of evaluative concerns perfectionism at which the effect of personal standards perfectionism changes (termed the perfectionistic tipping point). To meet this aim, secondary analysis was undertaken of three samples that previously provided evidence of interactions between dimensions of perfectionism in predicting sport devaluation, dedication, enthusiasm, and expressive suppression. Using the J-N technique, perfectionistic tipping points were identified whereby the conditional effect of PSP became statistically significant for each outcome at low-to-moderate levels of ECP. In each case, the level of ECP was outside of the levels tested in the 2 × 2 model making it useful complementary information. Based on the findings, it is recommended that researchers report perfectionistic tipping points when probing significant interactions in the 2 × 2 model of perfectionism and when examining interactive effects of perfectionism, generally.

Do Athlete and Coach Performance Perfectionism Predict Athlete Burnout?

ABSTRACT Research has illustrated that athlete perfectionism predicts athlete burnout. The present study sought to build on existing research in two ways. First, we provide the first test of the relationship between performance perfectionism and athlete burnout. That is, whether the degree to which athlete’s expect their own or others’ sport performances to be perfect, predicts burnout. Second, we broaden the examination of the perfectionism-burnout relationship to include coaches by testing the incremental predictive ability of perceptions of coach other-oriented performance perfectionism (the degree to which coaches were perceived to expect perfect performances from others). A sample of 190 competitive adult athletes (M age = 20.54) completed measures of their own performance perfectionism (self-oriented, socially prescribed, and other-oriented performance perfectionism), perceived coach other-oriented performance perfectionism, and burnout symptoms. Regression analyses indicated that both athlete self-oriented and socially prescribed performance perfectionism positively predicted athlete burnout. In addition, after controlling for all dimensions of athlete performance perfectionism, perceived coach other-oriented performance perfectionism positively predicted athlete burnout. The findings suggest that, in addition to their own perfectionism, when athletes perceive their coaches to be more perfectionistic towards others, they are more likely to experience burnout.

Perfectionism in Academically Gifted Students: A Systematic Review

Perfectionism has long been recognised as a psychological factor that can enhance or interfere with the healthy adjustment of young students who are academically gifted. However, it is apparent from existing research that a wide range of methods have been adopted to study perfectionism in this population. To identify what is currently known about perfectionism among these students and what future work needs to be undertaken, a systematic review of existing research is required. The aim of our study was to provide a first such review. In doing so, we utilised the two-factor perfectionism model which differentiates between perfectionistic strivings (PS) and perfectionistic concerns (PC). A systematic literature search returned 36 studies examining perfectionism in young students identified as academically gifted that varied in study characteristics, methodological quality, and findings. Of these studies, 24 adopted a variable-based approach to examining perfectionism (i.e., examined PS and PC) and 12 adopted a group-based approach to examining perfectionism (i.e., examined groups with varying levels of PS and PC). The findings show that the distinction between PS and PC is extremely important. Specifically, while PC are likely to be uniformly debilitating for students who are academically gifted, PS are associated with more mixed outcomes. This is also the case when the two dimensions of perfectionism are considered in combination, with levels of PC being the key factor in determining the outcomes associated with perfectionism. Future research needs to build on the existing evidence base in a systematic fashion and prioritise longitudinal research and intervention studies.

The role of perfectionism in predicting athlete burnout, training distress, and sports performance: A short-term and long-term longitudinal perspective

ABSTRACT This study examined the influence of perfectionistic strivings and perfectionistic concerns on athlete burnout and two key indicators of overtraining syndrome (training distress and subjectively perceived sports performance) using cross-sectional (N = 228), short-term (a 3-month interval, N = 93) and long-term (a 1-year interval, N = 83) longitudinal designs on a sample of adolescent athletes. In the cross-sectional analyses, sequential regressions revealed that perfectionism was a significant predictor of athlete burnout and both indicators of overtraining. In the three-month longitudinal perspective, both dimensions of perfectionism (strivings and concerns) contributed to the prediction of change in burnout and sports performance, but not training distress. When the one-year longitudinal relationships were regarded, only perfectionistic strivings significantly predicted decrease in burnout, and, for sports performance, the predictive power of both dimensions of perfectionism was even more pronounced when compared to the three-month longitudinal data.

The relationship between perfectionism, generalized problematic internet use and bulimic behaviours

IntroductionPerfectionism is a consistent risk factor for various psychopathological conditions, including psychological distress and eating disorders. Recently, we have shown, for the first time, that there is a relationship between perfectionism and generalized problematic internet use/GPIU (Sobral et al. 2020). Specifically, we found that the role of perfectionism in psychological disorder is partially mediated by GPIU. On the other hand, it has been suggested that the widespread use of digital media can lead to negative body image perception and abnormal eating attitudes and behaviors.ObjectivesTo explore, for the first time, the relationship between perfectionism, GPIU and disordered eating behavior.Methods475 university students (78.9% girls; mean age 20.22±1.695) answered the Portuguese validated versions of: Composite Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, GPIU Scale and Eating Attitudes Test-25. SPSS and Hayes’ Process Macro (2020) were used.ResultsBulimic Behaviours/BB significantly and moderately correlated with Perfectionist efforts (r=.263), Perfectionist concerns (r=.284) and GPIU (r=.25) (all p<.001). The mediation analyses revealed that GPIU is a partial mediator of the relationship between both perfectionism dimensions and BB.ConclusionsThe evidence that both negative and “positive” perfectionism dimensions are associated to eating pathology is in line with our previous research. The present study adds, for the first time, that one of the perfectionism pathways of influence on BB operates through UGPI. Assessment and intervention to diminish eating psychopathology should focus on perfectionism and compulsive traits which could be involved in both ED and GPIU and in their comorbidity.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

Anxiety and dimensions of perfectionism in first year college students: The mediating role of mindfulness

IntroductionAnxiety and perfectionism affect academic success of college students. Mindfulness is associated with decrease anxiety and perfectionism among college students. ObjectiveThis study evaluates the mediating role of dispositional mindfulness on the relationship between adaptive and maladaptive dimensions of perfectionism and anxiety in first year college students. MethodThe subjects, 283 first year college students (59.5% girls), completed self-reported measures of anxiety, perfectionism and dispositional mindfulness. ResultsOur results show that maladaptive perfectionism is associated with greater anxiety, and a higher dispositional mindfulness score is associated with less anxiety symptoms. Also, mindfulness mediates the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and anxiety symptoms, especially in girls. When the shared variance of maladaptive and adaptive perfectionism is statistically controlled, adaptive perfectionism is associated with anxiety symptoms in boys and mindfulness in girls. ConclusionThis study confirms the mediating role of mindfulness on the relation between maladaptive perfectionism and anxiety. Gender differences, limits of the mindfulness measure and future research are discussed.

Examining the effectiveness of cognitive bias modification for perfectionism in exploration of the mediating and moderating effects of body dissatisfaction and self-efficacy

The relationship between perfectionism, body dissatisfaction, and self-efficacy is unclear. This study attempted to distinguish the relationship between different dimensions of perfectionism and to examine how they relate to body dissatisfaction and self-efficacy. Experiment 1 examined the effectiveness of two types of Cognitive Bias Modification for Interpretation (CBM-I) techniques in the induction of perfectionism. Experiment 2 explored the mediation and moderation effects of perfectionism facets, body dissatisfaction, and self-efficacy in the induction of perfectionism. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the four CBM-I conditions and completed self-report measures of trait and state perfectionism, body dissatisfaction, self-efficacy, as well as a behavioural task that assessed perfectionistic behaviours before and after the CBM-I induction. The results indicated no significant differences in perfectionism between the experimental groups and the control groups following the perfectionism induction. Using baseline participant characteristics, body dissatisfaction was found to mediate socially-prescribed perfectionism and self-efficacy. Self-oriented perfectionism moderated the association between body dissatisfaction and self-efficacy. State perfectionism may not be influenced by a single session (30 trials) of CBM-I training. Treatment targeting body dissatisfaction may enhance self-efficacy in socially-prescribed perfectionists. Further, interventions that decrease self-oriented perfectionism may reduce body dissatisfaction while increasing self-efficacy.

PERFECTIONISM IN THE CONTEXT OF THE REVISED REINFORCEMENT SENSITIVITY THEORY

The main goal of this research was to examine the role of personality traits in predicting the two aspects of perfectionism – maladaptive evaluation concerns and positive strivings. Personality traits were postulated by the Revised Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory, while the dimensions of perfectionism were defined by the Model of Perfectionism developed by Frost et al. The sample consisted of 299 students of the Faculty of Philosophy in Niš (79.3% were female), aged 19 to 29 years (M = 20.34; SD = 1.83). The instruments used were: the Reinforcement Sensitivity Questionnaire (RSQ), and the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS). The main takeaways of this research indicate that the Behavioural Inhibition System (BIS) is the strongest and positive correlate of maladaptive evaluation concerns, followed by Freeze and Fight. Unlike personality defence systems, the Behavioural Approach System (BAS) shows a negative correlation with the abovementioned criterion. The total percentage of explained variance for maladaptive evaluation concerns is 23%. When positive strivings are used as the criterion, BAS is seen as a positive correlate only in the first step of the hierarchical regression analysis. However, Flight and Fight represent consistent and positive correlates of this criterion. The total percentage of explained variance for positive strivings is 6.9%. The findings are consistent with the Revised Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory and available empirical findings from previous studies. Moreover, the results indicate that in the context of the abovementioned personality theory, maladaptive evaluation concerns and positive strivings can be understood as maladaptive forms of perfectionism, which deviates from previous understandings of perfectionism.

Perfectionism and community-identity integration: the mediating role of shame, guilt and self-esteem

Recent years have been marked by a rise in perfectionism in developed countries. Studies have shown that dimensions of perfectionism are related to the way people handle identity crises, whose successful resolution leads to finding a place within the adult community. In the present study, we aimed to show that two dimensions of perfectionism – perfectionistic strivings and perfectionistic concerns – are related to the outcomes of identity formation and that these relationships are mediated by shame and guilt-proneness, and self-esteem. A path mediation model showed that shame and self-esteem fully mediate the relationship between two dimensions of perfectionism and community-identity. These findings have both theoretical and practical implications. Firstly, they show the mechanism by which perfectionism may be related to identity stage resolution. Secondly, our results support the distinction between perfectionistic strivings expressing drive towards excellence, and perfectionistic concerns expressing fear of failure and fear of being judged in identity studies. This in turn may contribute to more fitting and nuanced psychotherapeutic interventions, as it justifies the application of psychotherapeutic tools aimed at reducing perfectionistic concerns and enhancing perfectionistic strivings.

Perfectionism and attitudes towards doping in athletes: the mediating role of achievement goal orientations

ABSTRACT Perfectionism predicts attitudes towards doping in athletes. It is currently unclear, however, why this is the case. To help shed light on this particular issue, in the present study we provided a first examination of whether achievement goal orientations explain (mediate) the relationship between perfectionism and attitudes towards doping. A sample of 173 athletes (mean age 24.4 years) completed measures of perfectionistic strivings, perfectionistic concerns, ego-orientation, task-orientation, and attitudes towards doping. Based on bias-corrected bootstrapping of indirect effects, ego-orientation mediated the positive relationships between perfectionistic strivings and attitudes towards doping and perfectionistic concerns and attitudes towards doping. Task-orientation mediated the negative relationship between perfectionistic strivings and attitudes towards doping. In this regard, athletes high in either dimension of perfectionism have more favourable attitudes because of a tendency to define success as outperforming others. However, those athletes high in perfectionistic strivings may simultaneously hold less favourable attitudes because they also have a tendency to define success as improving their own performance.

Cognitive-behavioral correlates of pupil control ideology.

Teacher's pupil control ideology is a central feature for the quality of the teacher-student relationship, which, in turn, impacts the teacher's level of well-being. The pupil control ideology refers to a teacher's belief system along a continuum from humanistic to custodial views. Teachers with humanistic orientation view students as responsible and, therefore, they exert a lower degree of control to manage students' classroom behaviors. Teachers with a custodial orientation view students as untrustworthy and, therefore, they exert a higher degree of control to manage students' classroom behaviors. The relationship between pupil control ideology and dysfunctional beliefs originated from the cognitive-behavioral therapy framework has not been investigated, despite existing evidence suggesting that the pupil control ideology is linked to stress and burnout. One hundred fifty-five teachers completed a set of self-report questionnaires measuring: (i) teacher's pupil-control ideology; (ii) perfectionistic and hostile automatic thoughts; (iii) irrational beliefs; (iv) unconditional self-acceptance; (v) early maladaptive schemas; and (vi) dimensions of perfectionism. The result suggests that teachers who adopt a custodial view on pupil control ideology endorse more dysfunctional beliefs than teachers who adopt a humanistic view. They tend to present a higher level of perfectionism, unrelenting standards, and problematic relational beliefs, including schemas of mistrust and entitlement. They also present more often other-directed demands and derogation of other thoughts. Such results picture a dysfunctional view on pupils who misbehave, as adversaries who threaten their rigid and/or perfectionistic expectations.

Perfectionism and Family Interactions As Determinants of Somatization in Adolescents

The overall goal of this study was to examine vulnerability factors for the occurrence and development of somatization in adolescents. A review of the literature in the field of family relations and perfectionism indicates that these are dimensions that are related to somatization in children and adolescents, but also in adults. The research was conducted on students from two primary and two secondary schools in Mostar (N = 600). The average age of the participants is M = 14.5 (SD = 1.77). The following measuring instruments were applied: Sociodemographic Features Questionnaire; Perfectionism Scale for Children and Adolescents (Flett, Hewitt, Boucher, Davidson, & Munro 2000); Adaptive/maladaptive perfectionism scale (Rice and Preusser 2002); Scale of quality of family interactions (KOBI; Vulić-Prtorić 2004) and Scale of somatic symptoms of anxiety (SOMA; Vulić-Prtorić 1999). The results of multiple regression analyses indicate the importance of the contribution of the dimensions of perfectionism and family relations in explaining somatization in adolescents. The structure of the predictors is different, depending on the gender of the participants.

Latent profile analysis of impulsivity and perfectionism dimensions and associations with psychiatric symptoms

Background. Impulsivity and perfectionism are transdiagnostic personality factors that have been studied extensively and shown to relate to externalizing and internalizing pathology respectively. Typically, these personality factors are antithesized, with impulsivity characterized by lack of control and perfectionism characterized by rigid overcontrol. Methods. The current study (N = 1,353 undergraduate students) used latent profile analysis to identify subgroups based on impulsivity and perfectionism dimensions and tested the relations of these subgroups with the symptomatology of ten prevalent types of psychopathology (depression, worry, social anxiety, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder inattentive subtype, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder impulsive-hyperactive subtype, alcohol use, obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, restrictive eating pathology, and binge eating pathology). Results. The latent profile analysis identified four meaningful subgroups: high perfectionism, high impulsivity, combined impulsivity and perfectionism, and low impulsivity and perfectionism. The combined group was the most prevalent, comprising almost half of the sample. Further, the perfectionism group had the highest scores for obsessive-compulsive disorder, worry, and restrictive eating pathology, the impulsivity group had the highest scores for alcohol use disorder, and the combined group had the highest or second-highest scores across all types of psychopathology. Limitations. Limitations include the undergraduate sample, self-report, cross-sectional study design, and high bivariate residuals. Conclusions. These findings suggest impulsivity and perfectionism can co-occur. Further, the co-occurrence of these personality traits may heighten risk for psychopathology and help explain comorbidity across internalizing and externalizing disorders. Future research should continue to investigate the presentation, prevalence, and treatment for individuals high in both perfectionism and impulsivity.