Perfectionism, anxiety sensitivity, and negative reactions following a failed statistics test: A vulnerability–stress model.

Abstract

Self-critical perfectionism and anxiety sensitivity are potential vulnerability factors for increased distress following performance failure. We hypothesized that participants who fail a statistics quiz will have lower state self-esteem, lower positive affect, and greater negative affect at posttest than those who get a good grade, after controlling for pretest scores and the effect of experimental condition would become larger as self-critical perfectionism and anxiety sensitivity increase. Exploratory analyses examined rigid perfectionism and a newly introduced construct (statistics anxiety sensitivity) as moderators. We tested this vulnerability-stress model in 329 postsecondary students using a two-group, pre-post, between-subjects design. Students completed an easy or hard statistics test and were assessed on pre-and posttest state self-esteem (social and performance) and state affect (anxiety, dysphoria, hostility, and positive affect). Across outcomes, main effects of experimental condition predicted between 7% and 33% of the variance, with the largest effects for performance self-esteem. Personality by condition interactions predicted 0.1%-2% of the variance; 16 of 24 interactions were statistically significant in the expected direction (i.e., the effect of experimental condition was larger for participants high in measured personality traits). Findings suggest personality traits are vulnerability factors for decreased self-esteem and increased negative affect following failure in a statistics assessment.