Trait Perfectionism and Dance Goals Among Young Female Dancers: An Application of the 2 × 2 Model of Perfectionism

This study provided the first test of the 2 × 2 model of perfectionism with respect to dancers’ goals for dancing in competitive dance. Four hundred twenty-five young female North American competitive dancers (M = 11.33 years; SD = 2.14) completed questionnaires assessing multidimensional perfectionism and goals for participation in dance. The latent moderated structural equations approach along with procedures outlined by Gaudreau indicated partial support for the 2 × 2 model of perfectionism. Pure Evaluative Concerns Perfectionism was associated with fewer intrinsic goals for dance and greater extrinsic goals for dance relative to nonperfectionism. Pure Personal Standards Perfectionism was related to less endorsement of extrinsic goals relative to nonperfectionism. Findings were complex with respect to mixed perfectionism, with this form of perfectionism being related to greater endorsement of both intrinsic and extrinsic goals for dance. Results provide partial support for the 2 × 2 model in youth dance.

0191 Social Jetlag and Sleep Habits on Weekends Moderate the Relationship Between Personal Standards Perfectionism and Academic Performance in Young Athletes

Introduction Research suggests that young athletes may present different levels of perfectionism, which affect sport and academic performances. Sleep is also a variable that can affects grades. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between personal standards (PS) perfectionism, sleep and school performance in young athletes. Methods 27 young athletes (13-16y) wore an actigraph for a week and completed an adapted version of the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale at the beginning, middle and end of the school year. Sleep habits during weekdays (WD) and weekends (WE), and social jetlag (SJ) were extracted from the actigraphy. Mean performance of the two main school subjects were taken from the final report at the end of the school year (Mgrades). A linear regression was done between PS and Mgrades. Then, we used Hayes’ PROCESS Macro V3.4 to examine the role of sleep as a moderator of the relation between PS and Mgrades. Results PS significantly predicts Mgrades (β=.59, p=.001; Ra2=.34, p=.001). The addition of the interactions terms, first between SJ and PS, then, between WE bedtimes and PS, and finally, between WE waketimes and PS, explained a significant increase in variance in Mgrades (ΔR2=.14, F(1,23)=31.81, p<.001; ΔR2=.17, F(1,23)=25.99, p<.001; ΔR2=.10, F(1,23)=12.43, p=.002, respectively). Therefore, when SJ is higher than 39min, WE bedtimes are after 10:21PM and WE waketimes are after 7:12AM, PS and Mgrades are significantly related. Conclusion These results show that when higher SJ and later WE bedtimes and waketimes are present, low PS are associated with low grades and high PS are associated with high grades. In contrast, when a small SJ, earlier WE bedtimes and waketimes are present, PS are not associated with grades. These results suggest that young athletes may be more vulnerable to the effect of sleep disturbances on grades depending on various factors such as perfectionism. Support N/A

Perfectionism in the Transition to University: Comparing Diathesis-Stress and Downward Spiral Models of Depressive Symptoms

Transitioning to university may be especially difficult for students who expect perfection from themselves. Self-critical perfectionism has consistently been linked to poor mental health. The current study compares a diathesis-stress and a downward-spiral model to determine why self-critical perfectionism is detrimental for mental health during this transition. First-year students ( N = 658) were recruited before beginning university in August and contacted again in October, January, and April. Participants completed measures on perfectionism, stress, and depressive symptoms. Evidence was found for a downward-spiral model with self-critical perfectionism but not a diathesis-stress model. Students higher in self-critical perfectionism were more likely to experience increased stress and depressive symptoms in a circular and additive manner. Conversely, students higher in personal-standards perfectionism experienced less stress and subsequent depressive symptoms. This research provides a theoretical model for why self-critical perfectionism is related to poor mental-health outcomes that become sustained over time.

Perfectionism in the transition to university: Comparing diathesis-stress and downward spiral models of depressive symptoms

Transitioning to university may be especially difficult for students who expect perfection from themselves. Self-critical perfectionism has consistently been linked to poor mental health. The current study compares a diathesis-stress and a downward spiral model, to determine why self-critical perfectionism is detrimental for mental health during this transition. First-year students (N=658) were recruited prior to beginning university in August and contacted again in October, January, and April. Participants completed measures on perfectionism, stress and depressive symptoms. Evidence was found for a downward spiral model with self-critical perfectionism, but not a diathesis-stress model. Students higher in self-critical perfectionism were more likely to experience increased stress and depressive symptoms in a circular and additive manner. Conversely, students higher in personal standards perfectionism experienced less stress and subsequent depressive symptoms. This research provides a theoretical model for why self-critical perfectionism is related to poor mental health outcomes which become sustained over time.

Perfectionism and motivation in sport: The mediating role of mental toughness

An extensive body of research has been done on the links between perfectionism and motivation, yet the underlying mechanisms linking these psychological characteristics have been underexplored. In this study, we used an integrative modelling approach to examine associations between dimensions of perfectionism (i.e. personal standards [PSP] and concerns over mistakes [CMP]), mental toughness (MT) and motivational orientations (i.e. self-determined motivation [SDM] and non-self-determined motivation [NSDM]). Based on a sample of 318 male (n=218) and female (n=100) tennis players (Mage=17.61, SDage=2.41), fit indices derived from structural equation modelling supported a partially mediated model. Residual PSP associated positively with MT (β=0.74) and SDM (β=0.40), and negatively with NSDM (β=-0.22). Conversely, residual CMP associated negatively with MT (β=-0.14) and SDM (β=-0.19), and positively with NSDM (β=0.73). Mental toughness was positively associated with SDM (β=0.28), but was unrelated to NSDM (β=0.07). The relationship between residual PSP and SDM was partially mediated by MT (standardised indirect effect: 95% CI=0.19, 0.46). The findings of this study support research linking dimensions of perfectionism with motivational orientations and offer preliminary evidence on the mediating role of MT in the association between these psychological constructs. With emerging research supporting the capacity to develop MT through targeted interventions, the findings are discussed alongside salient implications. Significance: • Mental toughness partially mediated the association between pure personal standards perfectionism and self-determined motivation. • Particularly among athletes with higher personal standards of perfectionism, more autonomous forms of motivation may be sustained via efforts that seek to develop athletes’ mental toughness.

Perfectionism in Adolescents: Self-Critical Perfectionism as a Predictor of Depressive Symptoms Across the School Year

Introduction: The present study examined the influence of personal standards and self-critical perfectionism on depressive and anxiety symptoms over the academic year. Methods: High-school students (N = 174) were surveyed in the late Fall and early Spring, assessing perfectionism in the Fall and mental health across the year in both the Fall and Spring. Path modelling was used to examine whether self-critical and personal standards perfectionism were related to changes in mental health across the school year. Results: Controlling for mental health at the start of the year, self-critical perfectionism predicted an increase in depressive symptoms over time, whereas personal standards perfectionism was unrelated to changes in mental health. Discussion: Results support that self-critical perfectionism is detrimental to mental health in adolescents, suggesting that future interventions should focus on reducing self-critical cognitive biases in youth.

On the Distinction Between Personal Standards Perfectionism and Excellencism: A Theory Elaboration and Research Agenda

Research on perfectionism is flourishing, but the unspecified distinction between perfectionism and the pursuit of excellence is a lingering issue that urgently needs conceptual, theoretical, and empirical attention. In this article, excellence and perfection are defined as distinct goals that form the basis of two different but related constructs. To move this idea forward, the term excellencism is introduced. Perfectionism and excellencism are defined and their similarities and differences are illustrated using symbolic logic and adjectives from the English lexicon. A point is made to clearly indicate that excellencism is a required reference point for reassessing the healthiness or unhealthiness of personal standards perfectionism. Using the law of diminishing returns as an analogy, a theory-driven rationale is proposed, and three alternative hypotheses are formulated. Showing that personal standards perfectionism is associated with better, comparable, and worse outcomes compared with excellencism offers the needed and sufficient conditions for respectively supporting the hypothesis that perfectionism is a healthy, unneeded, or deleterious pursuit. The propositions advanced in this theoretical article are more than incremental, and their practical implications are far-reaching: If personal standards perfectionism yields no added value or deleterious outcomes over and above excellencism, then excellence rather than perfection should be promoted.

Emotional intelligence as a moderator between perfectionism and happiness

Happiness plays a key role in influencing adolescent performance in a variety of contexts. The present study was designed to investigate the relationships between perfectionism, emotional intelligence, and happiness and to test the moderating role of emotional intelligence in the relationship between perfectionism and happiness among Malaysian adolescents. The participants were 412 Malaysian high-school students from Selangor, all of whom completed self-report questionnaires. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to examine whether students with high levels of personal standards perfectionism, low levels of evaluative concerns perfectionism, and high levels of emotional intelligence reported higher levels of happiness. Multigroup analyses showed that emotional intelligence emerged as a significant moderator in the link between evaluative concerns perfectionism and happiness. These findings highlight the importance of emotional intelligence in mitigating the devastating effects of evaluative concerns perfectionism on happiness.

Perfectionism in adolescents: Self-critical perfectionism as a predictor of depressive symptoms across the school year

The present study examined the influence of personal standards and self-critical perfectionism on depressive and anxiety symptoms over the academic year. High-school students (N=174) were surveyed in the late Fall and early Spring, assessing perfectionism in the Fall and mental health across the year in both the Fall and Spring. Path modelling was used to examine whether self-critical and personal standards perfectionism were related to changes in mental health across the school year. Controlling for mental health at the start of the year, self-critical perfectionism predicted an increase in depressive symptoms over time, whereas personal standards perfectionism was unrelated to changes in mental health. Results support that self-critical perfectionism is detrimental to mental health in adolescents, suggesting that future interventions should focus on reducing self-critical cognitive biases in youth.