Predicting Race Performance in Triathlon: The Role of Perfectionism, Achievement Goals, and Personal Goal Setting

Abstract

Please cite this publication as follows:Stoeber, J., Uphill, M. A. and Hotham, S. (2009) The question of how perfectionism affects performance is highly debated. Because empirical studies examining perfectionism and competitive sport performance are missing, the present research investigated how perfectionism affected race performance and what role athletes' goals played in this relationship in two prospective studies with competitive triathletes (Study 1: N = 112; Study 2: N = 321). Regression analyses showed that perfectionistic personal standards, high performance-approach goals, low performance-avoidance goals, and high personal goals predicted race performance beyond athletes' performance level. Moreover, the contrast between performance-avoidance and performance-approach goals mediated the relationship between perfectionistic personal standards and performance, whereas personal goal setting mediated the relationship between performance-approach goals and performance. The indings indicate that perfectionistic personal standards do not undermine competitive performance, but are associated with goals that help athletes achieve their best possible performance.

Perfectionism and Performance

“…What is more, perfectionistic strivings predict competitive performance beyond what is expected from athletes' previous performance level (Stoeber, Uphill, & Hotham, 2009). Finally, the results of Stoeber et al's mediation analyses suggest J. Stoeber: Perfectionism and Performance 16 that the kind, and combination of, achievement goals that athletes pursue represent another "mechanism" that may explain how perfectionistic strivings lead to higher performance, namely by more strongly endorsing performance approach goals (viz.…”

“…The findings from basketball training and triathlon competitions (Stoeber, Uphill, & Hotham, 2009) have important implications for research on perfectionism and sport performance because they indicate that, in "real life" settings and in the absence of false failurefeedback on performance, athletes high in perfectionistic strivings achieve higher levels of sport performance than athletes low in perfectionistic strivings. What is more, perfectionistic strivings predict competitive performance beyond what is expected from athletes' previous performance level (Stoeber, Uphill, & Hotham, 2009).…”

“…Moreover, regarding applied sport psychology, the findings that perfectionistic strivings show positive associations with training performance and predict competitive J. Stoeber: Perfectionism and Performance 17 performance beyond athletes' previous performance level (Stoeber, Uphill, & Hotham, 2009) have important implications for athletes, coaches, and personal trainers and advisors, as they show that perfectionism is a not necessarily a debilitating characteristic that is certain to undermine sport performance and prevent athletic development (Flett & Hewitt, 2005;Hall, 2006). Instead, perfectionistic strivings may help motivate athletes to achieve their best and boost their performance in training and competitions.…”

“…Whereas invested effort indicated by the time invested in task performance and stronger approach than avoidance orientations in performance goals (Stoeber, Uphill, & Hotham, 2009) are important explanatory mechanisms, they may be limited to certain tasks and contexts (viz.…”

Are mastery-avoidance achievement goals always detrimental? An adult development perspective

“…For example, MAVO goals tend to be associated with maladaptive forms of perfectionism (Stoeber, Uphill, & Hotham, 2009), anxiety during task engagement (Elliot & McGregor, 2001;Putwain & Daniels, 2010), procrastination (Howell & Watson, 2007) and ineffective task strategies (Elliot & McGregor, 2001;Howell & Watson, 2007), and, according to recent meta-analyses, low task interest and poor achievement (Baranik, Stanley, Bynum, & Lance, 2010;Hulleman, Schrager, Bodmann, & Harackiewicz, 2010).…”