Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dsjbd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T08:52:33.725Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Child Perfectionism and its Relationship with Personality, Excessive Parental Demands, Depressive Symptoms and Experience of Positive Emotions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 February 2017

Laura B. Oros ,
Ornella Iuorno  and
Mónica Serppe
Laura B. Oros*
Affiliation:
Universidad de la Cuenca del Plata-CONICET (Argentina)
Ornella Iuorno
Affiliation:
Universidad Adventista del Plata (Argentina)
Mónica Serppe
Affiliation:
Universidad Adventista del Plata (Argentina)
*
*Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Laura B. Oros. CONICET-Universidad de la Cuenca del Plata. Instituto de Investigación Científica Posadas. 3315. Misiones (Argentina). E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

While adaptive perfectionism ensures good overall performance, maladaptive perfectionism is associated with emotional disorders for which psychological treatment is sought. There are many factors that can explain the development of this disorder throughout childhood. The present study analyzed to what extent the child’s personality traits and excessive parental demands can predict maladaptive perfectionism, and, in turn, also analyzed how this relates to positive emotions and depressive symptoms in a sample of 404 Argentinian children (Mage = 10.30; SD = 1.03). Stepwise multiple regression analyses and Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests were performed. Results showed that excessive parental demands, together with high child neuroticism increased the likelihood of developing perfectionism (p < .001) throughout childhood. It was also noted that child perfectionism increased the symptoms of depression (p < .001), decreased feelings of gratitude (p = .018), increased the recognition of self-worth (p = .009) and activated certain aspects of sympathy towards others’ pain (p = .043). These processes linked to perfectionism are discussed, clarifying their effects on children’s mental health.

Keywords

childrenemotionsparenthoodperfectionismpersonality
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 20 , 2017 , E9
Copyright
Copyright © Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos de Madrid 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Affrunti, N. W., & Woodruff-Borden, J. (2014). Perfectionism in pediatric anxiety and depressive disorders. Clinical Child & Family Psychology Review, 17, 299–317. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-014-0164-4 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Arana, F., Scappatura, M., Lago, A., & Keegan, E. (2006). Traducción y adaptación de una medida multidimensional de perfeccionismo: La Escala APS-R (Almost Perfect Scale Revised). Fase preliminar. [Translation and adaptation of a multidimensional measure of perfectionism: APS-R Scale (Almost Perfect Scale Revised). Preliminary stage]. Memories of the XIII Conference of Research and Second Meeting of Psychology Researchers from Mercosur: Paradigms, methods and techniques. (Volume III, pp. 22–24). Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina. ISSN 1667–6750.Google Scholar
Arana, F., Scappatura, M. L., Lago, A., & Keegan, E. (2007, August). Perfeccionismo adaptativo y desadaptativo y malestar psicológico en estudiantes universitarios argentinos: Un estudio exploratorio utilizando el APS-R. [Unnadaptative and adaptative perfectionism and psychological distress on an argentinian university students: An exploratory study using the APS-R]. In XIV Conference of Research and 3rd Meeting of Psychology Researchers from Mercosur. Facultad de Psicología-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.Google Scholar
Arana, F. G., Scappatura, M. L., Miracco, M., Elizathe, L., Rutsztein, G., & Keegan, E. (2010). Perfeccionismo positivo/negativo y calidad de vida percibida en estudiantes de psicología, medicina e ingeniería de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. [Positive/negative perfectionism and perceived quality of life in students of psychology, medicine and engineering of the City of Buenos Aires]. Anuario de Investigaciones, 17, 17–24.Google Scholar
Ashby, J. S., & Kottman, T. (1996). Inferiority as a distinction between normal and neurotic perfectionism. Individual Psychology, 52, 237–245.Google Scholar
Bardone-Cone, A. M., Wonderlich, S. A., Frost, R. O., Bulik, C. M., Mitchell, J. E., Uppala, S., & Simonich, H. (2007). Perfectionism and eating disorders: Current status and future directions. Clinical Psychology Review, 27, 384–405. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2006.12.005 Google Scholar
Barrow, J. C., & Moore, C. A. (1983). Group interventions with perfectionistic thinking. The Personnel and Guidance Journal, 61, 612–615. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2164-4918.1983.tb00008.x Google Scholar
Baumrind, D. (1971). Current patterns of parental authority. Developmental Psychology, 4(1), 1–103. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0030372 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blatt, S. J. (1995). The destructiveness of perfectionism. Implications for de treatment of depression. American Psychologist, 50, 1003–1020. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.50.12.1003 Google Scholar
Chan, D. W. (2012). Life satisfaction, happiness, and the growth mindset of healthy and unhealthy perfectionists among Hong Kong Chinese gifted students. Roeper Review, 34, 224–233. https://doi.org/10.1080/02783193.2012.715333 Google Scholar
Cook, L. C., & Kearney, C. A. (2009). Parent and youth perfectionism and internalizing psychopathology. Personality and Individual Differences, 46, 325–330. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2008.10.029 Google Scholar
Craddock, A. E., Church, W., & Sands, A. (2009). Family of origin characteristics as predictors of perfectionism. Australian Journal of Psychology, 61, 136–144. https://doi.org/10.1080/00049530802239326 Google Scholar
Del Barrio, V., Navarro, M. D. F., & Escrivá, M. V. M. (1994). Autoestima y depresión en niños. [Self-esteem and depression in children]. Revista de Psicología General y Aplicada: Revista de la Federación Española de Asociaciones de Psicología, 47, 471–476.Google Scholar
Dunkley, D. M., Blankstein, K. R., Zuroff, D. C., Lecce, S., & Hui, D. (2006). Self-critical and personal standards factors of perfectionism located within the five-factor model of personality. Personality and Individual Differences, 40, 409–420. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2005.07.020 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(1), 234–252. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.84.1.234 Google Scholar
Elizathe, L., Murawski, B., Custodio, J., & Rutsztein, G. (2012). Riesgo de trastorno alimentario en niños escolarizados de Buenos Aires: Su asociación con perfeccionismo. [Risk of eating disorder in schoolchildren of Buenos Aires: Its association with perfectionism]. Revista Mexicana de Trastornos Alimentarios, 3, 106–120.Google Scholar
Eum, K. U., & Rice, K. G. (2011). Test anxiety, perfectionism, goal orientation, and academic performance. Anxiety, Stress, & Coping, 24, 167–178. https://doi.org/10.1080/10615806.2010.488723 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fairburn, C. G., Cooper, Z., & Shafran, R. (2003). Cognitive behaviour therapy for eating disorders: A “transdiagnostic” theory and treatment. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 41, 509–528. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7967(02)00088-8 Google Scholar
Fedewa, B., Burns, L. R., & Gómez, A. A. (2005). Positive and negative perfectionism and the shame/guilt distinction: Adaptive and maladaptive characteristics. Personality and Individual Differences 38, 1609–1619. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2004.09.026 Google Scholar
Flett, G. L., Hewitt, P. L., & Dyck, D. G. (1989). Self-oriented perfectionism, neuroticism, and anxiety. Personality and Individual Differences, 10, 731–735. https://doi.org/10.1016/0191-8869(89)90119-0 Google Scholar
Flett, G. L., Hewitt, P. L., Oliver, J. M., & Macdonald, S. (2002). Perfectionism in children and their parents: A developmental analysis. In Flett, G. L. & Hewitt, P. L. (Eds.), Perfectionism: Theory, research, and treatment (pp. 89–132). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.Google Scholar
Flett, G. L., Panico, T., & Hewitt, P. L. (2011). Perfectionism, type A behavior, and self-efficacy in depression and health symptoms among adolescents. Current Psychology, 30, 105–116. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-011-9103-4 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fernández-Alonso, R., Suárez-Álvarez, J., & Muñiz, J. (2012). Imputación de datos perdidos en las evaluaciones diagnósticas educativas [Imputation methods for missing data in educational diagnostic evaluation]. Psicothema, 24(1), 167–175.Google Scholar
Franchi, S. (2010). Estilo de personalidad perfeccionista y depresión. [Perfectionist personality style and depression]. Perspectivas en Psicología, 13, 53–64.Google Scholar
Fredrickson, B. L., & Joiner, T. (2002). Positive emotions trigger upward spirals toward emotional well-being. Psychological Science, 13, 172–175. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9280.00431 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Frost, R. O., Benton, N., & Dowrick, P. W. (1990). Self-evaluations, videotape review and dysphoria. Journal of Social & Clinical Psychology, 9, 367–374. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.1990.9.3.367 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Frost, R. O., & Steketee, G. (1997). Perfectionism in obsessive–compulsive disorder patients. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 35, 291–296. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7967(96)00108-8 Google Scholar
Gnilka, P. B., Ashby, J. S., & Noble, C. M. (2013). Adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism as mediators of adult attachment styles and depression, hopelessness, and life satisfaction. Journal of Counseling & Development, 91, 78–86. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1556-6676.2013.00074.x CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hewitt, P. L., Blasberg, J. S., Flett, G. L., Besser, A., Sherry, S. B., Caelian, C., … Birch, S. (2011). Perfectionistic self-presentation in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the perfectionistic self-presentation scale-junior form. Psychological Assessment, 23(1), 125–142. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0021147 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hewitt, P. L., & Flett, G. L. (1991). Perfectionism in the self and social contexts: Conceptualization, assessment, and association with psychopathology. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 60, 456–470. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.60.3.456 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hill, R. W., McIntire, K., & Bacharach, V. R. (1997). Perfectionism and the Big Five Factors. Journal of Social Behavior & Personality, 12(1), 257–270.Google Scholar
Kawamura, K. Y., Frost, R. O., & Harmatz, M. G. (2002). The relationship of perceived parenting styles to perfectionism. Personality and Individual Differences, 32, 317–327. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0191-8869(01)00026-5 Google Scholar
Lemos, V. (2004). Operacionalización del constructo personalidad infantil a partir del enfoque de los cinco grandes factores de personalidad. [Operationalization of the construct child’s personality from the approach of the Big Five personality factors]. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation. Universidad Nacional de San Luis, San Luis, Argentina.Google Scholar
Lombardi, D. N., Florentino, M. C., & Lombardi, A. J. (1998). Perfectionism and abnormal behavior. Journal of Individual Psychology, 54(1), 61–71.Google Scholar
Lozano, L. M., Valor-Segura, I., & Lozano, L. (2015). Could a perfectionism context produce unhappy children? Personality and Individual Differences, 80, 12–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2015.01.022 Google Scholar
Martinelli, M., Chasson, G. S., Wetterneck, C. T., Hart, J. M., & Björgvinsson, T. (2014). Perfectionism dimensions as predictors of symptom dimensions of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic, 78, 140–159. https://doi.org/10.1521/bumc.2014.78.2.140 Google Scholar
McArdle, S. (2009). Exploring the development of perfectionistic cognitions and self-beliefs. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 33, 597–614. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-008-9206-x Google Scholar
Mestre Escrivá, V. M., Frías Navarro, M. D. F., & Samper García, P. S. (2004). La medida de la empatía: Análisis del interpersonal reactivity index. [The measure of empathy: Interpersonal reactivity index analysis]. Psicothema, 16, 255–260.Google Scholar
Miller, A. L., Lambert, A. D., & Speirs Neumeister, K. L. (2012). Parenting style, perfectionism, and creativity in high-ability and high-achieving young adults. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 35, 344–365. https://doi.org/10.1177/0162353212459257 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Noble, C. L., Ashby, J. S., & Gnilka, P. B. (2014). Multidimensional perfectionism, coping, and depression: Differential prediction of depression symptoms by perfectionism type. Journal of College Counseling, 17, 80–94. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2161-1882.2014.00049.x CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ocampo, M., & Oros, L. B. (2015, July). La personalidad de los niños perfeccionistas. [The personality of perfectionist children]. Oral presentation at the XXXV Inter-American Congress of Psychology. Lima, Perú.Google Scholar
Ongen, D. E. (2009). The relationship between perfectionism and multidimensional life satisfaction among high school adolescents in Turkey. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 37, 52–64.Google Scholar
Oros, L. (2003). Medición del perfeccionismo infantil: Desarrollo y validación de una escala para niños de 8 a 13 años de edad. [Measuring child perfectionism: Development and validation of a scale for children 8–13 years old]. Revista Iberoamericana de Diagnóstico y Evaluación Psicológica, 16, 99–112.Google Scholar
Oros, L. B. (2004). Incidencia de las prácticas parentales sobre las creencias y los modos de afrontamiento del niño. [Incidence of parenting practices on child beliefs and ways of coping]. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation. Universidad Nacional de San Luis, San Luis, Argentina.Google Scholar
Oros, L. B. (2014). Nuevo cuestionario de emociones positivas para niños. [New questionnaire of positive emotions for children]. Anales de Psicología, 30, 522–529.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Park, H.-j., & Jeong, D. Y. (2015). Psychological well-being, life satisfaction, and self-esteem among adaptive perfectionists, maladaptive perfectionists, and nonperfectionists. Personality and Individual Differences, 72, 165–170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2014.08.031 Google Scholar
Periasamy, S., & Ashby, J. S. (2002). Multidimensional perfectionism and locus of control: Adaptive vs. maladaptive perfectionism. Journal of College Student Psychotherapy, 17, 75–86. https://dx.doi.org/10.1300/J035v17n02_06 Google Scholar
Rice, K. G., Ashby, J. S., & Slaney, R. B. (2007). Perfectionism and the five-factor model of personality. Assessment, 14, 385–398. https://doi.org/10.1177/1073191107303217 Google Scholar
Richaud de Minzi, M. C., Lemos, V., & Mesurado, B. (2011). Relaciones entre la percepción que tienen los niños de los estilos de relación y de la empatía de los padres y la conducta prosocial en la niñez media y tardía. [Relations between the children perception of relationship styles and parental empathy and prosocial behavior in middle and late childhood]. Avances en Psicología Latinoamericana, 29, 330–343.Google Scholar
Richaud de Minzi, M. C., Sacchi, C., & Moreno, J. E. (2001). Tipos de influencia parental, socialización y afrontamiento de la amenaza en la infancia. [Types of parental influence, socialization and coping with the threat in childhood]. First progress report corresponding to the PICT 99-04-06300 of the National Agency Science and Technology and the National Council of Scientific and Technical Research. Buenos Aires, Argentina.Google Scholar
Rovella, A. T., & Rivarola, M. F. (2014, November). Factores cognitivos y emocionales como mediadores transdiagnósticos en ansiedad y depresión. [Cognitive and emotional factors as mediator transdiagnosis in anxiety and depression]. XXI Conference of Research and 10th Meeting of Psychology Researchers from Mercosur. Facultad de Psicología. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires, Argentina.Google Scholar
Schaefer, E. S. (1965). Children’s reports of parental behavior: An inventory. Child Development, 36, 413–424. https://doi.org/10.2307/1126465 Google Scholar
Scott, J. H., Yap, K., Francis, A. J. P., & Schuster, S. (2014). Perfectionism and its relationship with anticipatory processing in social anxiety. Australian Journal of Psychology, 66, 187–196. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajpy.12045 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Serppe, M. (2010). Percepción de demandas parentales, perfeccionismo infantil y síntomas de depresión. [Perception of parental demands, child perfectionism and depression symptoms]. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation. Universidad Adventista del Plata, Entre Ríos, Argentina.Google Scholar
Serppe, M., & Oros, L. B. (2010). Escala de percepción de demandas parentales. Versión preliminar. In Asociación Argentina de Estudio e Investigación en Psicodiagnóstico (Eds.), Culturas y evaluaciones. Diferencias y semejanzas (pp. 142–156). [Perception Scale of parental demands. Preliminary Stage. Cultures and evaluations. Differences and similarities]. Buenos Aires, Argentina: Instituto Superior Semper.Google Scholar
Scotti, D., Sansalone, P. A., & Borda, T. (2011). Autoestima, miedo a la evaluación negativa y perfeccionismo: Un estudio comparativo en población clínica y en población general. [Self-esteem, fear of negative evaluation and perfectionism: A comparative study in clinical population and general population]. Memories of the III International Conference of Research and Practice in Psychology. (pp. 249–252). Buenos Aires, Argentina: Universidad de Buenos Aires.Google Scholar
Shafran, R., & Mansell, W. (2001). Perfectionism and psychopathology: A review of research and treatment. Clinical Psychology Review, 21, 879–906. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0272-7358(00)00072-6 Google Scholar
Stoeber, J., & Becker, C. (2008). Perfectionism, achievement motives, and attribution of success and failure in female soccer players. International Journal of Psychology, 43, 980–987. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207590701403850 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stornelli, D., Flett, G. L., & Hewitt, P. L. (2009). Perfectionism, achievement, and affect in children: A comparison of students from gifted, arts, and regular program. Canadian Journal of School Psychology, 24, 267–283. https://doi.org/10.1177/0829573509342392 Google Scholar
Ulu, I. P., & Tezer, E. (2010). Adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism, adult attachment, and big five personality traits. The Journal of Psychology, 144, 327–340. https://doi.org/10.1080/00223981003784032 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ye, H. J., Rice, K. G., & Storch, E. A. (2008). Perfectionism and peer relations among children with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 39, 415–426. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-008-0098-5 Google Scholar