Perfectionism and negative/positive affect associations: the role of cognitive emotion regulation and perceived distress/coping

Abstract

Suggested citation: Castro J, Soares MJ, Pereira AT, Macedo A. Perfectionism and negative/positive affect associations: the role of cognitive emotion regulation and perceived distress/coping. Trends Psychiatry Psychother. 2017;39(2):77-87. http://dx.doi. org/10.1590/2237-6089-2016-0042 Abstract Objective: To explore 1) if perfectionism, perceived distress/ coping, and cognitive emotion regulation (CER) are associated with and predictive of negative/positive affect (NA/PA); and 2) if CER and perceived distress/coping are associated with perfectionism and if they mediate the perfectionism-NA/PA associations. There is a distinction between maladaptive and adaptive perfectionism in its association with NA/PA. CER and perceived distress/coping may mediate the maladaptive/adaptive perfectionism and NA/PA associations. Methods: 344 students (68.4% girls) completed the Hewitt & Flett and the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scales, the Composite Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, the Profile of Mood States, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. Results: NA predictors were maladaptive/adaptive perfectionism, maladaptive CER and perceived distress (positively), positive reappraisal and planning, and perceived coping (negatively). PA predictors were maladaptive/adaptive perfectionism and perceived distress (negatively), positive reappraisal and planning, positive refocusing and perceived coping (positively). The association between maladaptive perfectionism and NA was mediated by maladaptive CER/low adaptive CER, perceived distress/low coping. Maladaptive perfectionism and low PA association was mediated by perceived distress. High PA was determined by low maladaptive perfectionism and this association was mediated by adaptive REC and coping. Adaptive perfectionism and NA association was mediated by maladaptive CER and perceived distress. Conclusion: CER and perceived distress/coping are associated and mediate the perfectionism-NA/PA associations. Keywords: Perfectionism, cognitive emotion regulation, perceived stress/coping, negative affect, positive affect.

Mediation Among Maladaptive Perfectionism, Maladaptive Emotion Regulation, and Distress

“…Maladaptive perfectionism was also negatively correlated with the more adaptive emotion regulation strategies of positive reappraisal, positive refocusing, and putting into perspective. This study also supported the finding of Rudolph et al (2007) that self-oriented perfectionism was associated with self-blame (Castro et al, 2017).…”

“…Cognitive emotion regulation, which includes reappraisal and rumination, was found to mediate the association between perfectionism, determined by the HF-MPS and F-MPS, and affect (Castro et al, 2017). More specifically, maladaptive emotion regulation strategies mediated the relation between even adaptive traits of perfectionism and negative affect.…”

“…Research has demonstrated that maladaptive emotion regulation mediates the relation between maladaptive perfectionism and distress (Castro et al, 2017;Macedo et al, 2017;O'Connor et al, 2007). This mediation model has not been examined in a laboratory setting when individuals face an experience of failure.…”

“…On the other hand, Castro, Soares, Pereira, and Macedo (2017) found different results using the HF-MPS and the F-MPS. Surprisingly, personal standards and self-oriented perfectionism, which are considered to be more adaptive traits of perfectionism, were significantly, positively correlated with maladaptive emotion regulation strategies when distress was perceived.…”

“…In others, adaptive perfectionism has been found to be related to adaptive emotion regulation strategies such as greater reappraisal (Richardson et al, 2014) and less emotional reactivity . Occasionally, adaptive perfection was related to maladaptive emotion regulation strategies such as self-blame and catastrophizing (Castro et al, 2017). Next, I will explore how maladaptive perfectionism is related to emotion regulation.…”