A New Measure of Perfectionism: The Perfectionism Inventory

Abstract

In this investigation, we produced a new 8-scale measure of perfectionism called the Perfectionism Inventory (PI) that is designed to capture the important constructs provided by 2 existing Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS; Frost, Marten, Lahart, & Rosenblate, 1990; Hewitt & Flett, 1991b) measures, along with new perfectionism scales. In the results from 3 studies, we describe scale development, scale psychometric properties, and criterion-related validity evidence for the 8 PI scales: Concern Over Mistakes, High Standards for Others, Need for Approval, Organization, Parental Pressure, Planfulness, Rumination, and Striving for Excellence. We present relationships between the 8 PI scales, relevant MPS scales, and other criterion measures. Second-order exploratory and confirmatory analyses provide support for the 8-scale PI model as well as support for 2 composite PI factors labeled Conscientious Perfectionism and Self-Evaluative Perfectionism.

How Other-Oriented Perfectionism Differs from Self-Oriented and Socially Prescribed Perfectionism

“…Moreover, it showed a unique positive relationship with social dominance goals and unique negative relationships with emotionality and altruism that the MPS measure did not show, but failed to show the unique negative relationship with agreeableness that the MPS measure showed (and that is well-established in the previous literature). Consequently, further research is needed on the convergent and divergent validity of the two measures including further measures of otheroriented perfectionism such as the High Standards for Others subscale of the Perfectionism Inventory (Hill et al, 2004) to establish that the 1990 scale is a valid measure of other-oriented perfectionism that can be used as an indicator of narcissistic perfectionism (Nealis et al, 2013).…”

Physical appearance perfectionism explains variance in eating disorder symptoms above general perfectionism

“…Third, the present study examined multidimensional perfectionism following Frost et al's (1990) and Hewitt and Flett's (1991) models. Although they are the most widely-used models of multidimensional perfectionism, there are other prominent models (e.g., Hill et al, 2004;Slaney, Rice, Mobley, Trippi, & Ashby, 2001) that future studies may profit from extending the present research to.…”

Perfectionism and Performance

“…Measures of general perfectionism include the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (FMPS; Frost et al, 1990), the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS; Hewitt & Flett, 1991, the Almost Perfect Scale-Revised (APS-R; Slaney, Rice, Mobley, Trippi, & Ashby, 2001), and the Perfectionism Inventory (PI; R. W. Hill et al, 2004). Measures of perfectionism in sport include the Sport Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (Sport-MPS; Dunn, Causgrove Dunn, & Syrotuik, 2002;revised version: Gotwals & Dunn, 2009) and the Multidimensional Inventory of Perfectionism in Sports (MIPS; Stöber, Otto, & Stoll, 2004;English version: Stoeber, Otto, & Stoll, 2006).…”