TY - JOUR
T1 - Relationship Between Perfectionism and Emotional Symptoms in an Adolescent Sample
AU - Einstein, Danielle A.
AU - Lovibond, Peter F.
AU - Gaston, Jonathan E.
PY - 2000
Y1 - 2000
N2 - Final-year high school students completed the Multidimensional Perfectionism scale and the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS) 10 weeks (n = 673) and again 10 days (n = 505) before a major set of examinations. Symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress were elevated on both test occasions, with more than 20% of the sample falling into the severe range. Self-oriented perfectionism was not strongly related to emotional symptoms. In contrast, socially prescribed perfectionism was positively related to depression and anxiety. Students whose parents were born overseas reported higher levels of socially prescribed perfectionism, and higher levels of depression and anxiety. These findings were interpreted within Higgins' (1987) self-discrepancy theory, which links high externally imposed standards to emotional distress. The results suggest that adolescents who perceive strong external pressure to excel academically are at risk of severe emotional symptoms under examination stress.
AB - Final-year high school students completed the Multidimensional Perfectionism scale and the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS) 10 weeks (n = 673) and again 10 days (n = 505) before a major set of examinations. Symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress were elevated on both test occasions, with more than 20% of the sample falling into the severe range. Self-oriented perfectionism was not strongly related to emotional symptoms. In contrast, socially prescribed perfectionism was positively related to depression and anxiety. Students whose parents were born overseas reported higher levels of socially prescribed perfectionism, and higher levels of depression and anxiety. These findings were interpreted within Higgins' (1987) self-discrepancy theory, which links high externally imposed standards to emotional distress. The results suggest that adolescents who perceive strong external pressure to excel academically are at risk of severe emotional symptoms under examination stress.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0034388962&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/00049530008255373
DO - 10.1080/00049530008255373
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0034388962
VL - 52
SP - 89
EP - 93
JO - Australian Journal of Psychology
JF - Australian Journal of Psychology
SN - 0004-9530
IS - 2
ER -