Perfectionism, Type A Behavior, and Self-Efficacy in Depression and Health Symptoms among Adolescents

Abstract

The current study examined the associations among dimensions of perfectionism, Type A behavior, self-efficacy, distress, and health symptoms in high school students. A sample of 73 high school students (34 boys, 39 girls) completed measures of self-oriented perfectionism, socially prescribed perfectionism, Type A behavior, self-efficacy, depressive symptoms, and psychosomatic symptoms. Correlational analyses found that self-oriented perfectionism was marginally related to Type A behavior. Students with elevated levels of depressive symptoms were also characterized by self-oriented perfectionism, Type A behavior, low self-efficacy, and health symptoms. In addition, health symptoms were linked with low self-efficacy. Simultaneous entry of several variables into a regression analysis found that significant unique predictors of depression were low self-efficacy and elevated selforiented perfectionism. Similarly, a regression analysis found that low self-efficacy and high self-oriented perfectionism were unique predictors of health symptoms. The findings highlight the distinctions between the perfectionism and the Type A constructs, and support self-regulation models of depression and physical symptoms that include an emphasis on excessive perfectionistic standards and low self-efficacy. We discuss the need for preventive interventions designed for perfectionistic adolescents with low self-efficacy.

Problem-Solving Skills Employed by Gifted Children and Their Peers in Public Primary Schools in Turkey

“…In recent years, researchers investigating gifted children by comparing them with their peers have tended to focus more on the gifted children's sense of self (Bencik, 2012;Hoogeveen et al, 2011;Preckel, Goetz, Pekrun, & Kleine, 2008;Shechtman & Silektor, 2012;Zhang & Postiglione, 2001), self-proficiency beliefs (Flett, Panico, & Hewitt, 2011;Malpass, O'Neil, & Hocevar, 2010), and aspects like creativity (Huang, 2012;Kanlı, 2008;Mohamed, Maker, & Lubart, 2012) and leadership (Acar, 2007). There were also no significant differences found in gifted versus nongifted students' scores on the PSIC for confidence, self-control, avoidance, and total problem-solving skill.…”

Longitudinal Links Between Perfectionism and Depression in Children

“…In the current study Hewitt and Flett's (1991b) conceptualization of perfectionism was used because it is well-validated and most commonly used in perfectionism research (e.g., Chang and Rand, 2000;Flett, Coulter, Hewitt, & Nepon, 2011;Flett et al, 1995;Flett, Panico, & Hewitt, 2011;Stoeber, Otto, & Dalbert, 2009). Hewitt and Flett posited that perfectionism consists of three dimensions which differ not in the behaviour per se, but in the target (self vs. others) and motivation (socially-vs. self-motivated) of the perfectionistic behaviour.…”

Perfectionism in Health and Illness from a Person-Focused, Historical Perspective

“…Given the overlapping features of perfectionism and the Type A style, we find it surprising that with but few exceptions (e.g., Flett, Hewitt, Blankstein, & Dynin, 1994;Flett, Panico, & Hewitt, 2011), contemporary research has also failed to extensively evaluate the degree to which perfectionism and the Type A style are interrelated yet distinguishable. A very plausible hypothesis that merits future research from a person-centered perspective is that it is the highly perfectionistic Type A people who are particularly at risk for health problems, especially if their sense of being stressed and driven is accompanied by chronic feelings of resentment and hostility.…”