Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Self-control mediates the link between perfectionism and stress

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Motivation and Emotion Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The relationship between perfectionism and stress is well-established. Recent research has focused on identifying the mediators of this link. Starting from a multidimensional perspective on perfectionism, we investigated the role of self-control and found it to be a mediator between perfectionism and stress in a sample of university freshmen. Further, perfectionistic concerns (i.e., discrepancy; Slaney et al. 2001) were positively correlated with stress, whereas perfectionistic strivings (i.e., high standards; Slaney et al. 2001) were negatively correlated with stress. Practical implications regarding overcoming maladaptive perfectionism are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. As one can argue that the approach to assessing mediation by Baron and Kenny (1986) is rather dated and has some shortcomings (e.g., it underestimates mediation effects, ignores measurement error etc.), we also analyzed our data again by utilizing a bootstrapping method (1,000 samples, confidence interval 95 %). These additional analyses supported our findings as they also revealed a negative and significant link between high standards and stress (β = −.22, t = 2.68, p < .01) and a significant positive link between discrepancy and stress (β = .38, t = 5.13, p < .001). When controlling for self-control, the link between high standards and stress was completely dissolved (β = −.14, t = 1.63, p = .10), whereas the positive link between discrepancy and stress was reduced but still remained significant (β = .32, t = 4.10, p < .001). Moreover, self-control was negatively related to stress (β = −.22, t = 2.73, p < .01) even when we controlled for high standards and discrepancy. As bootstrapping is especially useful for testing mediation effects in small samples, this additional analysis demonstrated that our results reported in the main manuscript were quite robust.

References

  • Accordino, D. B., Accordino, M. P., & Slaney, R. B. (2000). An investigation of perfectionism, mental health, achievement, and achievement motivation in adolescents. Psychology in the Schools, 37, 535–545.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Achtziger, A., Gollwitzer, P. M., & Sheeran, P. (2008). Implementation intentions and shielding goal striving from unwanted thoughts and feelings. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 34, 381–393.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Baron, R. M., & Kenny, D. A. (1986). The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychology research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51, 1173–1182.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bartone, P., Ursano, R. J., Wright, K. M., & Ingraham, L. H. (1989). The impact of a military air disaster on the health of assistance workers. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 177, 317–328.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Baumeister, R. F., Gailliot, M., DeWall, C. N., & Oaten, M. (2006). Self-regulation and personality: How interventions increase regulatory success, and how depletion moderates the effects of traits on behavior. Journal of Personality, 74, 1773–1801.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Baumeister, R. F., Heatherton, T. F., & Tice, D. M. (1994). Losing control: How and why people fail at self-regulation. San Diego: Academic Press, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baumeister, R. F., & Vohs, K. D. (2004). Handbook of self-regulation: Research, theory, and applications. New York, NY: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blankstein, K. R., Dunkley, D. M., & Wilson, J. (2008). Evaluative concerns and personal standards perfectionism: Self-esteem as a mediator and moderator of relations with personal and academic needs and estimated GPA. Current Psychology, 27, 29–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blankstein, K. R., Flett, G. L., Hewitt, P. L., & Eng, A. (1993). Dimensions of perfectionism and irrational fears: An examination with the fear survey schedule. Personality and Individual Differences, 15, 323–328.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bowlin, S. L., & Baer, R. A. (2011). Relationships between mindfulness, self-control, and psychological functioning. Personality and Individual Differences, 52, 411–415.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burns, L. R., Dittmann, K., Nguyen, N.-L., & Mitchelson, J. K. (2000). Academic procrastination, perfectionism, and control: Associations with vigilant and avoidant coping. Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, 15, 35–46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carver, C. S. (1997). You want to measure coping but your protocol’s too long: Consider the brief COPE. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 4, 92–100.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chang, E. C., Watkins, A. F., & Banks, K. H. (2004). How adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism relate to positive and negative psychological functioning: Testing a stress-mediation model in black and white female college students. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 51, 93–102.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, S. (1988). Perceived stress in a probability sample of the United States. In S. Spacapan & S. Oskamp (Eds.), The social psychology of health: Claremont symposium on applied social psychology (pp. 31–67). New Park, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, S., Kamarck, T., & Mermelstein, R. (1983). A global measure of perceived stress. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 24, 385–396.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Conroy, D. E., Kaye, M. P., & Fifer, A. M. (2007). Cognitive links between fear of failure and perfectionism. Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive Behavior Therapy, 25, 237–253.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Costa, P. T., & McCrae, R. R. (1992). Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI-R) and NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI): Professional manual. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diestel, S., & Schmidt, K.-H. (2011). Costs of simultaneous coping with emotional dissonance and self-control demands at work: Results from two German samples. Work and Stress, 23, 60–79.

    Google Scholar 

  • Duckworth, A. L., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2005). Self-discipline outdoes IQ in predicting academic performance of adolescents. Psychological Science, 16, 939–944.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dunkley, D. M., Blankstein, K. R., & Berg, J. L. (2012). Perfectionism dimensions and the five-factor model of personality. European Journal of Personality, 26, 233–244.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dunkley, D. M., Blankstein, K. R., Halsall, J., Williams, M., & Winkworth, G. (2000). The relation between perfectionism and distress: Hassles, coping, and perceived social support as mediators and moderators. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 47, 437–453.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dunkley, D. M., Zuroff, D. C., & Blankstein, K. R. (2003). Self-critical perfectionism and daily affect: Dispositional and situational influences on stress and coping. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84, 234–252.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dunkley, D. M., Zuroff, D. C., & Blankstein, K. R. (2006). Specific perfectionism components versus self-criticism in predicting maladjustment. Personality and Individual Differences, 40, 665–676.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flett, G. L., & Hewitt, P. L. (2002). Perfectionism and maladjustment: An overview of theoretical, definitional, and treatment issues. In P. L. Hewitt & G. L. Flett (Eds.), Perfectionism: Theory, research, and treatment (pp. 5–31). Washington: American Psychological Association.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Flett, G. L., Hewitt, P. L., Blankstein, K. R., & Dynin, C. B. (1994). Dimensions of perfectionism and type A behavior. Personality and Individual Differences, 16, 477–485.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flett, G. L., Hewitt, P. L., Blankstein, K. R., & Gray, L. (1998). Psychological distress and the frequency of perfectionistic thinking. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75, 1363–1381.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Flett, G. L., Hewitt, P. L., Blankstein, K. R., & Mosher, S. W. (1991). Perfectionism, self-actualization, and personal adjustment. Journal of social Behavior and Personality, 6, 147–160.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flett, G. L., Hewitt, P. L., Blankstein, K. R., & Mosher, S. W. (1995a). Perfectionism, life events, and depressive symptoms: A test of a diathesis-stress model. Current Psychology: Research and Reviews, 14, 112–137.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flett, G. L., Mardorsky, D., Hewitt, P. L., & Heisel, M. J. (2002). Perfectionism cognitions, rumination, and psychological distress. Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 20, 33–47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flett, G. L., Sawatzky, D. L., & Hewitt, P. L. (1995b). Dimensions of perfectionism and goal commitment: A further comparison of two perfectionism measures. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 17, 111–124.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Friese, M., & Hofmann, W. (2009). Control me or I will control you: Impulses, trait self-control, and the guidance of behaviour. Journal of Research in Personality, 43, 795–805.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frost, R. O., Marten, P., Lahart, C., & Rosenblate, R. (1990). The dimensions of perfectionism. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 14, 449–468.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gollwitzer, P. M. (1999). Implementation intentions: Strong effects of simple plans. American Psychologist, 54, 493–503.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hamacheck, D. E. (1978). Psychodynamics of normal and neurotic perfectionism. Psychology, 15, 27–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hewitt, P. L., & Flett, G. L. (1991). Perfectionism in the self and the social contexts: Conceptualization, assessment, and association with psychopathology. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 60, 456–470.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hewitt, P. L., & Flett, G. L. (2002). Perfectionism and stress processes in psychopathology. In Flett G. L. & Hewitt P. L. (Eds.), Perfectionism: Theory, research, and treatment (pp. 255–284).

  • Hill, A. P., Hall, K. H. K., & Appleton, P. R. (2010). Perfectionism and athlete burnout in junior elite athletes: The mediation role of coping tendencies. Anxiety, Stress, and Coping, 23, 415–430.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kapsou, M., Panayiotou, G., Kokkinos, C. M., & Demetriou, A. G. (2010). An empirical contribution of the construct validation of the brief-COPE with a Greek-speaking sample. Journal of Health Psychology, 15, 215–229.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Klibert, J. J., Langhinrichsen-Rohling, J., & Saito, M. (2005). Adaptive and maladaptive aspects of self-oriented versus socially prescribed perfectionism. Journal of College Student Development, 46, 141–156.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mehrabian, A. (1994). Individual differences in achieving tendency: Review of evidence bearing on a questionnaire measure. Current Psychology: Developmental, Learning, Personality, Social, 13, 351–364.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mills, J., & Blankstein, K. R. (2000). Perfectionism, intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation, and motivated strategies for learning: A multidimensional analysis of university students. Personality and Individual Differences, 29, 1191–1204.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mobley, M., Slaney, R. B., & Rice, K. G. (2005). Cultural validity of the Almost Perfect Scale-Revised for African American college students. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 52, 629–639.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muraven, M., & Baumeister, R. (2000). Self-regulation and depletion of limited resources: Does self-control resemble a muscle? Psychological Bulletin, 126, 247–259.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Muraven, M., Baumeister, R., & Tice, D. M. (1999). Longitudinal improvement of self-regulation through practice: Building self-control strength through repeated exercise. The Journal of Social Psychology, 139, 446–456.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Muraven, M., Tice, D. M., & Baumeister, R. (1998). Self-control as limited resource: Regulatory depletion patterns. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74, 774–789.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • O’ Connor, R. C., & O’ Connor, D. B. (2003). Predicting hopelessness and psychological distress: The role of perfectionism and coping. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 50, 362–372.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’ Connor, D. B., O’ Connor, R. C., & Marshall, R. (2007). Perfectionism and psychological distress: Evidence of the mediation effects of rumination. European Journal of Personality, 21, 429–452.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oaten, M., & Cheng, K. (2005). Academic examination stress impairs self-control. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 24, 254–279.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oaten, M., & Cheng, K. (2006). Improved self-control: The benefits of a regular program of academic study. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 28, 1–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park, H.-J., Heppner, P., & Lee, D. G. (2010). Maladaptive coping and self-esteem as mediators between perfectionism and psychological distress. Personality and Individual Differences, 48, 469–474.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parker, W. D., & Stumpf, H. (1995). An examination of the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale with a sample of academically talented children. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 13, 372–383.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perels, F., Dignath, C., & Schmitz, B. (2009). It is possible to improve mathematical achievement by means of self-regulation strategies? Evaluation of an intervention in regular math classes. European Journal of Psychological Education, 24, 17–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Periasamy, S., & Ashby, J. S. (2002). Perfectionism and locus of control. Journal of College Student Psychotherapy, 17, 75–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Powers, T. A., Koestner, R., Zuroff, D. C., Milyavskaya, M., & Gorin, A. A. (2011). The effects of self-criticism and self-oriented perfectionism on goal pursuit. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 37, 964–975.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Powers, T. A., Milyavskaya, M., & Koestner, R. (2012). Mediating the effects of self-criticism and self-oriented perfectionism on goal pursuit. Personality and Individual Differences, 52, 765–770.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rice, K. G., & Slaney, R. B. (2002). Clusters of perfectionists: Two studies of emotional adjustment and academic achievement. Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, 35, 35–48.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rice, K. G., Ashby, J. S., & Slaney, R. B. (2007). Perfectionism and the five-factor model of personality. Assessment, 14, 385–398.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rice, K. G., & Van Arsdale, A. C. (2010). Perfectionism, perceived stress, drinking to cope, and alcohol-related problems among college students. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 57, 439–450.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rotter, J. B. (1954). Social learning and clinical psychology. NY: Prentice-Hall.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Rudolph, S. G., Flett, G. L., & Hewitt, P. L. (2007). Perfectionism and deficits in cognitive emotion regulation. Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 25, 343–357.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt, K.-H., Hupke, M., & Diestel, S. (2012). Does dispositional capacity for self-control attenuate the relation between self-control demands at work and indicators of job strain? Work and Stress: An International Journal of Work, Health and Organisations, 26, 21–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt, K.-H., Neubach, B., & Heuer, H. (2007). Self-control demands, cognitive control deficits, and burnout. Work and Stress, 21, 142–154.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Slaney, R. B., Rice, K. G., Mobley, M., Trippi, J., & Ashby, J. S. (2001). The Revised Almost Perfect Scale. Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, 34, 130–145.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stoeber, J., & Otto, K. (2006). Positive conceptions of perfectionism: Approaches, evidence, challenges. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 10, 295–319.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stoeber, J., & Rambow, A. (2007). Perfectionism in adolescent school students: Relation with motivation, achievement, and well being. Personality and Individual Differences, 42, 1379–1389.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stoeber, J., & Rennert, D. (2008). Perfectionism in school teachers: relations with stress appraisals, coping styles, and burnout. Anxiety, Stress, and Coping, 21, 37–53.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tangney, J. P., Baumeister, R. F., & Boone, A. L. (2004). High self-control predicts good adjustment, less pathology, better grades, and interpersonal success. Journal of Personality, 72, 271–322.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tashman, L. S., Tenenbaum, G., & Eklund, R. (2010). The effect of perceived stress on the relationship between perfectionism and burnout in coaches. Anxiety, Stress, and Coping: An International Journal, 23, 195–212.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tice, D. M., & Baumeister, R. F. (1997). Longitudinal study of procrastination, performance, stress, and health: The costs and benefits of dawdling. Psychological Science, 8, 454–458.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Yperen, N. W., & Hagedoorn, M. (2008). Living up to high standards and psychological distress. Journal of Personality, 22, 337–346.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, K. T., Slaney, R. B., & Rice, K. G. (2007). Perfectionism in Chinese university students from Taiwan: A study of psychological well-being and achievement motivation. Personality and Individual Differences, 42, 1279–1290.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chair for Social and Economic Psychology, Zeppelin University, Am Seemooser Horn 20, 88045, Friedrichshafen, Germany

    Anja Achtziger

  2. University of Konstanz, Constance, Germany

    Ute C. Bayer

Authors
  1. Anja Achtziger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ute C. Bayer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anja Achtziger.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Achtziger, A., Bayer, U.C. Self-control mediates the link between perfectionism and stress. Motiv Emot 37, 413–423 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-012-9321-6

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-012-9321-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation