Perfectionism research is relatively sparse, particularly relating to UK secondary school students. International literature links perfectionism with both positive and negative outcomes in adulthood, including achievement and mental health difficulties. The aims of this study were both exploratory and theoretical; to explore the perspectives of students, teachers and parents in authorities in the South-West and North-West of England regarding the construct of perfectionism, to contribute to the knowledge on perfectionism in education (Phase One), and to investigate the role of schools and the educational psychologist (EP) in supporting students high in perfectionism through collaboration with students, parents, teachers, external professionals, EPs and the use of psychological theory to develop ‘best-practice’ guidance for schools and families (Phase Two). Semi-structured interviews using personal construct psychology and projective techniques were carried out with 32 participants. Of these, 17 were students, 6 teachers and 9 parents from a boys’ independent grammar school, girls’ local authority grammar school, ‘outstanding’ (Ofsted) comprehensive school and ‘outstanding’ (Ofsted) academy. Analysis of the interviews revealed significant gaps in participant knowledge regarding perfectionism (as based on the existing literature), particularly relating to its possible function and associated risks. Participants also held beliefs which are likely to contribute to the reinforcement of perfectionism in students.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent and chronic issue among youth. Establishing links between psychological disorders, such as ADHD, and personality constructs provides valuable information relative to understanding vulnerabilities, development, prognosis, and treatment outcomes. With an increasing awareness of the maladaptive nature of perfectionism, it is important to expand the evaluation of personality and ADHD to include perfectionism. The current study examined the potential relations between perfectionism and ADHD symptoms in a sample of 574 youth from the McMaster Teen Study from Grade 7 to Grade 12. Using path analysis, results indicated that ADHD symptoms predicted decreases in self-oriented perfectionism at every time point with one exception (Grade 11 to 12). Findings for the relation between socially prescribed perfectionism and ADHD symptoms were mixed; although socially prescribed perfectionism predicted ADHD symptoms at one time point, ADHD symptoms predicted decreases in socially prescribed perfectionism the following year. Clinical implications, limitations, and future directions are discussed.

Research has consistently shown an association between the personality trait of perfectionism and a variety of emotional, psychological, and interpersonal difficulties. Using a longitudinal design, the present investigation aimed to examine the validity of a diathesis-stress model linking perfectionism to specific psychopathological symptoms in a large sample of university students. The specific stress processes of stress enhancement and stress generation were examined as potential mechanisms linking perfectionism with emotional maladjustment (see Hewitt & Flett, 2002). In addition, two different frameworks for conceptualizing perfectionism were tested: (1) a multidimensional framework by Hewitt and Flett (1991) which posits that perfectionistic tendencies and behaviours are influenced both by intrapersonal and interpersonal factors, and (2) a adaptive-maladaptive perfectionism typology (Frost et al., 1993) which posits the existence of both a positive and a negative form of perfectionism. Results of this investigation indicated that particular dimensions of perfectionism were directly predictive of stress enhancement. In addition, particular dimensions of perfectionism were also predictive of stress generation, albeit indirectly via the experience of general negative affect. Finally, perfectionism was indeed predictive of increases in emotional maladjustment over time. More specifically, particular perfectionism dimensions were directly predictive of psychopathological symptoms, while other dimensions were only predictive of symptoms via their interactions with relevant measures of life stress (i.e., via a diathesis-stress interaction). The results of the present investigation do not support the adaptive-maladaptive perfectionism typology in that the measure of adaptive perfectionism used was predictive of both stress and psychopathological symptoms. The results of this study are more consistent with the perfectionism framework highlighting intrapersonal-interpersonal dimensions. Overall, the results of this study suggest that a diathesis-stress model provides a fruitful framework from which to investigate perfectionism and its relation to psychopathology. / Thesis (Ph.D, Psychology) -- Queen's University, 2007-10-10 20:09:19.604

The relationship between positive and negative perfectionism, and academic achievement, motivation and well-being in tertiary students was investigated. It was hypothesized that higher levels of positive perfectionism would be associated with higher academic achievement, higher achievement motivation, lower levels of depression, anxiety and stress, the use of more adaptive coping strategies, and positive personality variables, compared with negative perfectionists. Additionally, it was hypothesized that higher levels of negative perfectionism would be associated with lower levels of academic achievement, lower achievement motivation, higher levels of depression, anxiety and stress, the use of more maladaptive coping strategies, and negative personality variables. 99 first year tertiary students participated, 71 from the University of Canterbury, and 28 from the Christchurch College of Education. The Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS) was used to measure positive, negative and total levels of perfectionism. The short-form of the Ray Achievement Orientation Scale (Ray AO) was used to measure the level of achievement motivation. The NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI) was used to measure the "Big Five" personality variables (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness to experience). The Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS) was used to measure levels of positive and negative affect. The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) was used to measure levels of depression, anxiety and stress. The COPE was used to measure the use of functional and dysfunctional coping strategies. Demographic and academic information were obtained from student's academic files. The results indicated that, generally, the hypotheses were correct. Positive perfectionism showed associations with higher academic achievement, higher achievement motivation, positive personality factors, and more use of functional forms of coping, while negative perfectionism showed associations with negative affect, depression, anxiety, stress, negative personality factors, and more use of dysfunctional coping strategies. It is therefore concluded that positive perfectionism can have a positive association with academic achievement, achievement motivation and general well-being, while negative perfectionism can have a negative association with these factors. Many individuals are concerned with meeting high standards for performance. Consequently, the concept of perfectionism has been studied increasingly in the last few decades. The concept has evolved to now being formally defined, theoretically integrated and empirically measured (Flett & Hewitt, 2002a; Flett & Hewitt, 2002b; Rheaume, Freeston, Dugas, Letarte & Ladouceur, 1995).

No description available.

I used singlecase A-B-A experimental design to examine the effectiveness of Adlerian play therapy (AdPT) for children identified with clinical levels of perfectionism on the Conners Parent Rating Scale-Revised and Conners Teacher Rating Scale-Revised. Participants were 2 children, a 10 year-old Hispanic male and a 7 year-old Caucasian female. To examine the effect of AdPT on maladaptive perfectionism and anxiety, the Child-Adolescent Perfectionism Scale and the Revised Children’s Manifest Anxiety Scale were administered to the children twice weekly over 3 phases of the study: baseline (6 administrations), intervention (12-16 administrations), and maintenance (6 administrations) for a total of 24 to 29 data points. Additionally, parents and teachers completed the Conners Rating Scales-Revised5 times: (1) prior to study, (2) following baseline/prior to treatment, (3) midpoint of treatment, (4) following treatment, and (5) following maintenance phase.During the intervention phase, the male and female participants attended 21 and 16 play therapy sessions, their mothers attended 6 and 5 parent consultations, and their teachers attended 6 and 3 teacher consultations, respectively. Analysis of the child self-report assessments indicated mixed and inconclusive results regarding the effects of AdPT on target behaviors. However, results of the parent and teacher reports indicated clinically significant reductionsin maladaptive perfectionism and anxiety over the five points of measurement for both participants. The participants’ maladaptive perfectionism moved from the clinical to the normal range. Implications for practice and future research are indicated.

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between multidimensional perfectionism, shame and Trichotillomania (TTM) symptom severity in a sample of college students and a clinical sample of individuals with TTM. A total of 286 college students were recruited from a large, Southeastern public University and 114 individuals with TTM were recruited across at a conference for individuals with TTM and TTM-focused social media communities. The study sought to explore whether shame (characterological, behavioral or bodily) mediated the relationship between wither adaptive or maladaptive perfectionism and TTM symptom severity. Correlations and tests of means were conducted and the Preacher and Hayes macro with bootstrapping was utilized to test mediation and moderation with the following measures: the Almost Perfect Scale-Revised (APS-R; Slaney et al., 2001), the Massachusetts General Hairpulling Scale (MGH-HPS; Keuthen et al., 1995, and the Experience of Shame Scale (ESS; Andrews, Qian, & Valentine, 2002). Results suggested that the clinical sample reported significantly higher levels of all three types of shame, as well as significantly higher scores for TTM severity than the student sample. No mediation or moderation was found among the variables for the student sample. In the clinical sample, no significant moderation was found, but behavioral shame was significantly mediated the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and TTM severity. A discussion of limitations, implications for practitioners, and directions for future research were provided.

Thesis (M.A.)--York University, 2007. Graduate Programme in Psychology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 131-146). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:MR29269

Thesis (M.A.)--California State University, Chico. / Includes abstract. "Located in the Chico Digital Repository." Includes bibliographical references (p. 47-55).

Research has argued that perfectionism, as well mood state, can serve to influence the type and amount of information that will be attended to and remembered in one’s surrounding environment. The purpose of the current study was to look at how mood and differing degrees of threat may influence the cognitive processes of individuals higher in perfectionism. Following completion of the perfectionism measures, 121 post-secondary students were exposed to a mood induction as well as a threat condition and then asked to complete three cognitive tasks – d2 test of attention, emotional Stroop, and a recognition task. Results indicated that perfectionism was associated with accuracy and reaction time and this impact differed based on mood and threat. Results also indicated individuals higher in perfectionism had a memory bias towards negative and perfectionistic content, reinforcing the idea that perfectionism has a distinctly cognitive component that impacts how an individual processes incoming information.