Search Results (14)

Background: Perfectionism is a growing concern among university students, who face high expectations, demanding workloads, and complex academic tasks. These pressures often lead to stress, negatively impacting performance, well-being, and career trajectories. Existing measures of perfectionism and related stress lack focus on their causes and relevance to students. Methods: This study developed and psychometrically tested an inventory assessing the causes (ROOTS), manifestations (MPS-R), and stress (IPSS-R) related to perfectionism. A multicenter cross-sectional online survey was conducted across multiple Italian universities with 469 students. The ROOTS tool was developed, and the MPS and IPSS were adapted following established guidelines. Content validity was examined, and pilot testing was performed. Confirmatory factor analyses tested three-factor models with a second-order factor for each instrument. Construct validity and reliability were also assessed. Results: The ROOTS, MPS-R, and IPSS-R demonstrated strong structural and construct validity, with acceptable reliability. Significant correlations highlighted the interconnectedness of perfectionism’s causes, manifestations, and stress. Conclusions: The Perfectionism Inventory offers a comprehensive tool for identifying causes, manifestations, and consequences of perfectionism in university students. It can help educators and policymakers develop strategies to mitigate its impact on mental health and academic success. Future research should explore its applicability in other populations. Full article

Background and Objectives: Oral health is a critical component of overall well-being, and it is highly influenced by psychological factors. While mental health disorders are often associated with poor oral health, the impact of obsessive–compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) tendencies on oral hygiene behaviors remains underexplored. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between OCPD tendencies and oral health behaviors among biomedical students. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 384 biomedical students aged 18–30 years. Participants completed the Hiroshima University Dental Behavior Inventory (HU-DBI) to assess oral health behaviors and the Five Factor Obsessive–Compulsive Inventory—Short Form (FFOCI-SF) to evaluate OCPD tendencies, and they were divided into high and low tendencies groups. Sociodemographic data were also collected. Statistical analysis of all collected data was performed using the MedCalc computer software for Windows^®. Results: The higher OCPD tendencies group was older (p = 0.003), with predominantly female students (p = 0.005), and with higher academic grades (p < 0.001). These participants exhibited significantly better HU-DBI total scores compared to the group with the lower tendencies (8.0 (7.0–8.0) vs. 7.0 (6.0–8.0); p < 0.001). Traits such as perfectionism, fastidiousness, and punctiliousness were significantly associated with better oral hygiene practices (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Our results suggest that OCPD tendencies in biomedical students positively influence oral health behaviors through traits like perfectionism and attention to detail, though excessive rigidity may pose risks such as over-brushing. However, future longitudinal larger-scale studies need to address these findings. Full article

High school students face critical psychological challenges during adolescence, including academic pressures and educational decision-making. Dabrowski’s Theory of Positive Disintegration provides a framework for understanding growth through disintegration and reintegration, with perfectionistic traits acting as intrinsic motivators for self-improvement. This study examined the psychological profiles of 641 Taiwanese high school students: 207 mathematically and scientifically talented students (MSTS), 187 verbally talented students (VTS), and 247 regular students (RS). Using the ME III, refined from the ME II, and the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, our research assessed overexcitabilities (OEs) and perfectionism traits. MSTS and VTS scored significantly higher in Intellectual and Imaginational OEs than RS, with VTS also overperforming in sensual OE. MSTS and VTS showed higher personal standards, while VTS excelled in organization, and RS reported higher parental criticism. Emotional OE correlated with perfectionism, such as concern over mistakes, doubts about actions, and parental criticism, while Intellectual OE positively correlated with personal standards and negatively with parental criticism. Intellectual and Emotional OEs jointly predicted personal standards and organization; while Sensual, Intellectual, and Emotional OEs predicted doubts about actions, etc. These findings underscore the importance of tailored educational and counseling strategies to address the unique needs of gifted students, fostering environments that enhance their abilities and overall well-being. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of self-efficacy and perfectionism on academic procrastination among university students and its differences among genders in Pakistan. It was hypothesized that self-efficacy and perfectionism would significantly impact academic procrastination and that there is a significant difference in students’ views concerning their gender. The sample comprised 405 university students, 104 male and 301 female. The study used the general self-efficacy scale, the multidimensional perfectionism scale, and the academic procrastination scale to measure the constructs. SmartPLS 4 was applied for the analysis of the data. The results indicated that all three variables—self-efficacy, perfectionism, and academic procrastination—were present among university students. Perfectionism showed a significant effect on academic procrastination. However, self-efficacy showed no significant effect on academic procrastination. Further, no significant difference was found in students’ views concerning their gender. The findings provide significant evidence for stakeholders to improve academic procrastination among university students. Full article

High levels of perfectionism in college students can compromise their academic performance and psychological well-being. This study aims to analyze the implication of perfectionism in psychological well-being and suicidal ideation in the last year. A total of 1.287 students from different degrees reported their academic performance in the previous academic year and completed questionnaires on academic perfectionism, psychological well-being, and suicidal thoughts in the last year. In both men and women, academic perfectionism correlates positively with academic performance and negatively with the different dimensions of psychological well-being. Likewise, both the average grade in the previous year (β = 0.364) and the level of demand of the degree (β = −0.461) are mediating variables between perfectionism and psychological well-being. Furthermore, the interaction between perfectionism and academic performance is related positively to psychological well-being, but not to with suicidal ideation. So, the relation between suicidal ideation and perfectionism is positive (OR = 1.075), but this is negative with academic performance (OR = 0.900), although both variables show a mild predictive capacity. These findings suggest that the levels of perfectionism are associated differently with the mental health of students, since if perfectionism is effective (high academic performance), psychological well-being is high, although in our results, this interaction is not as important for suicidal thoughts. Full article

Academic stress and burnout are the predominant factors that can negatively affect student performance and sustainable learning. Therefore, it is important to analyze the factors related to student academic burnout in preservice teachers in western China. 212 respondents from public universities in Guangxi Province participated, and the data were analyzed using partial least-squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to check reliability, validity, and initial hypothesis testing. The results show that perfectionism, excessive self-efficacy, and workload are the main factors causing academic stress and burnout in preservice teachers. These problems can be reduced by increasing self-efficacy and coping strategies of preservice teachers. In addition, this study provides important knowledge to universities based on factors related to preservice teachers’ academic stress and burnout, as well as strategies and solutions to reduce these problems in students. Full article

There are limited studies examining the impacts of perfectionism and achievement motivation on collegiate athletes’ extra training and academic achievement in a Chinese context. This study aimed to examine the association of perfectionism (five facets) with extra training and academic performance among Chinese collegiate athletes and identify the mediating role of achievement motivation (two attributes) in the relationship between perfectionism and extra training and academic performance. With a prospective study design, 243 eligible participants completed two-wave surveys from September to December 2021. Measures included demographics, perfectionism (concern over mistake, CM; doubts about action, DA; personal standard, PS; organization; parental expectation, PE), achievement motivation (motive for success, MS; motive for avoiding failure, MF), extra-training (minutes/week), and academic performance (GPA). Results showed that CM, DA, PS, and MS were associated with extra training among Chinese collegiate athletes, while the associations of DA and PS with extra training were mediated by MS. In addition, DA, PS, organization, and MS were associated with participants’ GPA, while MS was a salient mediator for the contributions of DA and PS on participants GPA. Research findings give new insights to the psychological mechanisms of perfectionism and achievement motivation on collegiate athletes’ extra training and academic performance, contributing to future studies in relevant domains. Full article

Most previous studies have attempted to explore how different personal, familial, or school factors are linked to academic stress in Western countries. However, relatively less research has incorporated these different factors into one model to examine the most crucial correlate(s) that predict academic stress, particularly in the East Asian context, where the level of academic stress among adolescents is high. This study examined how perfectionism, social-oriented achievement motivation, parental aspiration for achievement, parent–child relationship, emphasis on academics in school, and school climate work together to predict academic stress in Hong Kong. One thousand eight hundred and four students from eight secondary schools in Hong Kong participated in this study. The results indicate that perfectionism, social-oriented achievement motivation, parent–child relationships, and emphasis on academics in school have significant associations with academic stress, while perfectionism and social-oriented achievement motivation, the two factors from the personal domain, are the dominant drivers of academic stress. In addition, these findings applied to both genders. As the significant correlates come from the personal, familial, and school domains, this study recommends multilevel interventions for decreasing the level of academic stress. In addition, this study also suggests further research directions to examine the psychosocial mechanism between the correlates and academic stress. Full article

(1) Background: Shaping leadership skills is a complex process, which may be modified by psychological factors such as self-efficacy and perfectionism. The aim of the study was to determine whether perfectionism can be a mediator between self-efficacy, and authentic leadership skills in nursing students; (2) Methods: The cross-sectional study included 615 Polish nursing students (women = 96.3%) was carried out at Medical University of Warsaw in 2019. The following research tools were used: Authentic Leadership Questionnaire, Almost Perfect Scale-Revised (APS-R), and General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES); (3) Results: The level of perfectionism is a significant mediator of relations between self-efficacy as measured by the GSES and the level of authentic leadership (Sobel test: t = 6.958; p < 0.000). The relation, without a mediating factor, is positive, and the standardized beta coefficient for the feeling of self-efficacy totals beta = 0.470 (p < 0.000), while in the presence of a mediator the strength of the correlation is smaller and amounts to beta = 0.366 (p < 0.000); (4) Conclusions: Personality factors such as self-efficacy and perfectionism play an important role in shaping AL skills of nursing students. Therefore, academic teachers should pay special attention to strengthening students’ self-efficacy and adaptive perfectionism. In this context, adequate feedback and reflection may be important. Full article

This study aims to deepen the analysis of Studyholism (or obsession toward study) on a sample of 793 Italian adolescents (Mage = 16.30 ± 1.73; 53% boys). A path analysis model including potential antecedents (i.e., worry, study-related perfectionism, perfectionistic strivings and concerns, overstudy climate, type of school) and outcomes (e.g., grade point average, time spent studying, psychological well-being) of Studyholism was tested. In line with previous findings on college students, this study supported the conceptualization of problematic overstudying as an OCD-related disorder, since worry is the strongest predictor of Studyholism. Moreover, among the main findings, it confirmed that Studyholism is associated with negative academic outcomes, while Study Engagement predicts positive academic outcomes. Finally, it also confirmed that both Studyholism and Study Engagement predict social impairment. In conclusion, preventive interventions to favor students’ academic success and well-being should reduce perfectionistic concerns and study-related perfectionism and enhance time management skills (in Engaged students too). For reducing Studyholism, instead, the primary target should be trait worry. Finally, preventive interventions should be implemented across all the school types and possibly during childhood or pre-adolescence to avoid the increase in psychological and social impairment that has been found to be associated with Studyholism in youths. It is also essential to detect potential early risk indicators (especially among individual factors) of Studyholism in childhood. Full article

The academic literature has drawn a clear distinction between a positive form (i.e., work engagement) and a negative form (i.e., workaholism) of heavy work investment (HWI). Nevertheless, the different weight of individual and situational factors contributing to their development was not thoroughly explored. This study aims to investigate the role of individual variables (i.e., obsessive–compulsive traits, achievement orientation, perfectionism, and conscientiousness) and situational factors (i.e., job demands and overwork climate) regarding engagement and workaholism simultaneously. Hypotheses were tested using a sample of 523 Italian employees. Results of structural equation modeling revealed that overwork climate and job demands were conversely related to engagement and workaholism, with job demand reporting the strongest association with workaholism. Furthermore, fear of failure was the only individual factor showing a significant and opposite relationship with workaholism and engagement. In contrast, perfectionism was positively associated with both forms of HWI. These results shed light on the potential effectiveness of intervention strategies focused on the employees and organizations in preventing workaholism and promoting engagement. Full article

Due to the increasing demand for international education, the number of international students in Korea has been rapidly increasing. Accordingly, well adjusting to college has been a main interest for both academic institutions and international students as it is key to their success. Previous studies have revealed that maladaptive perfectionism (MP) hampers the college adjustment (CA) of international students, yet little is known about its underlying mechanism. To fill in this gap, this study examined the mediating effect of acculturative stress (AS) in between maladaptive perfectionism and college adjustment; the moderating effect of social support (SS) in the relation between acculturative stress and college adjustment; and the moderated mediating effect of social support in the causal pathway from maladaptive perfectionism to acculturative stress to college adjustment. Results showed a partial mediating effect of acculturative stress, a moderating effect, and a moderated mediating effect of social support. This implies that social support is an essential factor that helps international students better adjust to the new collegiate environment by alleviating their stress caused by maladaptive perfectionism and acculturative stress. Full article

Stress as an emotional response with adaptive function can obstruct both academic performance and psychosocial and physiological functioning when it is recurrent, persistent, and intense. Individual characteristics and regular physical activity produce differences in ways of coping with pressure situations, stressing the necessity of teenagers handling them in an effective way for their psychological adjustment and well-being. The purpose of this investigation was to identify how the frequency of physical activity and the influence of certain personality traits (perfectionism and perseverance) moderate stress. The sample was composed of 127 teenage students; tests were administered to measure perfectionism, perseverance, perceived stress, including an ad hoc sociodemographic questionnaire. The results show that particular conditions/skills have a moderating effect on stress perception in students with perfectionist maladaptive tendencies. Training in perseverance allows students to develop resources for handling stress, making it possible to achieve personal standards as well as adapt to one’s context. Full article

Perfectionism can influence how one approaches challenges and deals with setbacks, and, consequently, can inhibit or facilitate achievement. The present study (1) explored the relationship between Frost’s six dimensions of perfectionism and five types of coping strategies; (2) examined how dimensions of perfectionism predict coping in response to academic stress; and (3) investigated differences between gifted underachievers and other gifted students on perfectionism and coping among 130 American gifted students in grades 6–8. Results of stepwise regression models revealed approach coping was predicted by adaptive perfectionism (Positive Strivings-notably Organization), whereas avoidance coping (Internalizing, Externalizing, and Distancing) was predicted by various combined models. Gifted underachievers displayed lower Positive Strivings perfectionism scores and lower positive coping when compared to achievers. This information is helpful when considering ways to guide gifted students to high levels of academic achievement while utilizing adaptive approaches. Full article