Perfectionism, Goal Adjustment, and Self-Regulation: A Short-term Follow-up Study of Distress and Coping

The role of positive self-compassion, distress tolerance, and social problem-solving in the relationship between perfectionism and disordered eating among racially and ethnically diverse college students

Eating disorders (EDs) are associated with high levels of distress, functional impairment, and morbidity. Perfectionism has been consistently identified as an important factor in the etiology and maintenance of disordered eating, and as a promising target for treatment efforts. To address the detrimental effects of perfectionism on disordered eating, further research is needed to better understand what mechanisms may influence the relationship between these variables. In the present research, we examined three constructs related to self-regulation as potential mediators of the relationship between perfectionism and disordered eating: positive self-compassion, distress tolerance, and social problem-solving. We collected data from a sample of racially and ethnically diverse undergraduate students (N = 280) using an online questionnaire battery. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), we developed measurement and structural models to meet criteria for good fit and tested the hypothesized relationships. Distress tolerance emerged as a robust, statistically significant mediator of the relationship between perfectionism and disordered eating. Social problem-solving and self-compassion did not mediate this relationship. Distress tolerance may counterbalance the cognitive load associated with perfectionism; freeing up mental resources to focus on resisting urges for immediate relief through engagement in maladaptive disordered eating.

Perfectionism, self-stigma, and coping in students with dyslexia: The central role of perfectionistic self-presentation

Dyslexia is a prevalent condition, and a significant percentage of students in higher education are dyslexic. Despite this, few studies have investigated dyslexia in university students and what personality dispositions may predict how students feel about help-seeking for dyslexia and how they cope with dyslexia. Against this background, the present study investigated perfectionism, self-stigma, and coping in 115 university students with dyslexia, examining the relationships between dispositional perfectionism (self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism) and perfectionistic self-presentation with self-stigma of seeking help and adaptive versus maladaptive coping with dyslexia. Results from regression and mediation analyses showed that perfectionistic self-presentation predicted higher levels of self-stigma and maladaptive coping, and lower levels of adaptive coping. Furthermore, both forms of dispositional perfectionism predicted higher levels of self-stigma and maladaptive coping, and lower levels of adaptive coping, via perfectionistic self-presentation (dispositional perfectionism→perfectionistic self-presentation → self-stigma and coping). The findings suggest that perfectionistic self-presentation plays a central role in the relationships of perfectionism, self-stigma, and coping in students with dyslexia, and that impression management, aimed at presenting a perfect self-image (and hiding imperfections), represents a significant risk for students seeking help for, and successful coping with, dyslexia.

College Students’ Adult Attachment and Career Adaptability: Mediation by Maladaptive Perfectionism and Moderation by Gender

Career adaptability is a prerequisite for ensuring college students’ career development and effectively solving career-related problems. Given that secure attachment positively contributes to adaptive functioning, this study examined the mediating effect of South Korean college students’ maladaptive perfectionism on the relation between adult attachment insecurity and career adaptability. Further, gender differences in the mediational pathways from attachment insecurity to career adaptability were investigated. Participants include 212 college students (male = 49.1%, female = 50.9%) aged between 19 and 31 years ( M age = 22.50, SD = 2.15) living in South Korea. Results indicated that for male and female students, the relation between attachment insecurity and career adaptability is mediated by maladaptive perfectionism. The multigroup analysis revealed that the relations between attachment insecurity, maladaptive perfectionism, and career adaptability differed by gender. These results emphasize the importance of understanding college students’ personality profiles and supporting their career adaptability based on their personality traits.

Holding on to the Goal or Letting It Go and Moving On? A Tripartite Model of Goal Striving

Recent findings challenge the widely held motto of “never give up” in goal striving. There are situations in which it is of strategic interest to abandon an important goal and allocate resources to an alternative goal. The ability to realize whether a goal is attainable or not (and therefore the ability to make the “right choice” between goal persistence and goal disengagement or reengagement) is influenced by at least two key motivational factors: motivation for goal striving and a self-regulatory technique called mental contrasting with implementation intentions. The interplay between these two factors is as yet unexplored but holds promise for several conceptual and practical advancements in understanding the pursuit of challenging life goals. To this end, we propose a tripartite model of goal striving that integrates goal motivation and goal regulation.

A Meta–Analytic and Conceptual Update on the Associations between Procrastination and Multidimensional Perfectionism

The equivocal and debated findings from a 2007 meta–analysis, which viewed perfectionism as a unidimensional construct, suggested that perfectionism was unrelated to procrastination. The present meta–analysis aimed to provide a conceptual update and reanalysis of the procrastination–perfectionism association guided by both a multidimensional view of perfectionism and self–regulation theory. The random–effects meta–analyses revealed a small to medium positive average effect size ( r = .23; k = 43, N = 10 000; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) [0.19, 0.27]) for trait procrastination and perfectionistic concerns and a small to medium negative average effect size ( r = −.22; k = 38, N = 9544; 95% CI [−0.26, −0.18]) for procrastination and perfectionistic strivings. The average correlations remained significant after statistically accounting for the joint variance between the two perfectionism dimensions via semi–partial correlations. For perfectionistic concerns, but not perfectionistic strivings, the effects depended on the perfectionism measure used. All effects did not vary by the trait procrastination measure used or the respondent's sex. Our findings confirm that from a multidimensional perspective, trait procrastination is both positively and negatively associated with higher–order perfectionism dimensions and further highlights the value of a self–regulation perspective for understanding the cognitive, affective and behavioural dynamics that characterise these traits. Copyright © 2017 European Association of Personality Psychology

Individual Differences in Expectancies for Change in Depression: Associations with Goal Pursuit and Daily Experiences

More optimistic expectations for change in patients entering treatment often predict more favorable outcomes. However, our understanding of the nature and function of those expectancies is limited. The current study tested the proposal that optimistic expectancies among patients seeking outpatient psychotherapy for major depressive disorder may be explained in part by having a more adaptive self-regulatory style. A sample of 56 adults (78.6% female; mean age 36.5) completed measures of expectancies, depressive symptoms, and aspects of self-regulation. Participants also completed a week of experience sampling using a cell phone system that signaled them 8 random times per day for 7 days. Results were largely consistent with hypotheses. Depressed participants with more optimistic expectancies had a stronger promotion goal orientation, higher goal re-engagement, and reported greater progress on their most important personal goals; daily positive affect and positive situational appraisals were also higher. Findings may suggest a possible self-regulatory mechanism underlying optimistic expectancies for change.

Profiles of Perfectionism and School Anxiety: A Review of the 2 × 2 Model of Dispositional Perfectionism in Child Population

The 2 × 2 model of dispositional perfectionism has been very well received by researchers of the topic, leading to the creation of new studies that have analyzed the way in which the four proposed subtypes are distinctly associated with measures of adaptation and maladjustment. The goal of this study was to determine the possible existence of four profiles of child perfectionism that are congruent with the subtypes proposed by the 2 × 2 model, and whether these subtypes are associated with school anxiety, in accordance with the hypotheses established by the model. The sample was composed of 2157 students from Spanish Primary Education aged between 8 and 11 years (M = 9.60, SD = 1.24). The Child and Adolescent Perfectionism Scale was used to assess Socially Prescribed Perfectionism and Self-Oriented Perfectionism, and the School Anxiety Inventory for Primary Education was used to measure school anxiety. The results of cluster analysis identified four differential groups of perfectionists similar to the subtypes defined by the 2 × 2 model: Non-Perfectionism, Pure Personal Standards Perfectionism (Pure PSP), Pure Evaluative Concerns Perfectionism (Pure ECP), and Mixed Perfectionism. The four groups presented a differentiable pattern of association with school anxiety, with the exception of Pure PSP and Pure ECP, which showed no significant differences. Participants classified as Non-perfectionists presented the most adaptive outcomes, whereas subjects included in the Mixed Perfectionism group scored significantly higher on school anxiety than the three remaining groups. To conclude, the results partially supported the hypotheses of the 2 × 2 model, questioning the consideration of Self-Oriented Perfectionism as a positive manifestation of perfectionism and showing that it is the combination of high scores in both perfectionist dimensions, Self-Oriented Perfectionism and Socially Prescribed Perfectionism that implies higher levels of school anxiety. These findings should be taken into account when generalizing the 2 × 2 model to child population.

Competition's Role in Developing Psychological Strength and Outstanding Performance

Competition, a topic closely associated with outstanding performance, continues to be a contentious topic ( Bonta, 1997 ; Murayama & Elliot, 2012a , 2012b ), particularly in the realm of education and schooling ( D. W. Johnson & Johnson, 1987 , 2009 ). Is competition a useful or detrimental strategy for promoting outstanding performance? Does competition contribute positively to performance or should it be avoided? In this article, we took on the challenge of exploring the relationship between competition and high performance and making recommendations about how competition can be used in promoting adaptive youth development. We begin by defining competition and outstanding performance. We then discuss competition in the context of the positive psychology movement, followed by brief reviews of literature showcasing how competition is related to enhanced performance in sport, organizational settings, and academic domains. Next, we discuss competition's relationship to creativity. The article closes with a discussion of the implications of this work for practice and research. It is our hope that this work will result in increased attention to high performance psychology as an important focus for scholarship and application in a wide range of arenas, from schools and the workplace to athletic and artistic venues.

Treatment of Depression From a Self-Regulation Perspective: Basic Concepts and Applied Strategies in Self-System Therapy

Self-regulation models of psychopathology provide a theory-based, empirically supported framework for developing psychotherapeutic interventions that complement and extend current cognitive-behavioral models. However, many clinicians are only minimally familiar with the psychology of self-regulation. The aim of the present manuscript is twofold. First, we provide an overview of self-regulation as a motivational process essential to well-being and introduce two related theories of self-regulation which have been applied to depression. Second, we describe how self-regulatory concepts and processes from those two theories have been translated into psychosocial interventions, focusing specifically on self-system therapy (SST), a brief structured treatment for depression that targets personal goal pursuit. Two randomized controlled trials have shown that SST is superior to cognitive therapy for depressed clients with specific self-regulatory deficits, and both studies found evidence that SST works in part by restoring adaptive self-regulation. Self-regulation-based psychotherapeutic approaches to depression hold significant promise for enhancing treatment efficacy and ultimately may provide an individualizable framework for treatment planning.