Research found that 82% of lower secondary school students maintained stable perfectionistic profiles throughout the ninth grade, impacting their well-being.
In a recent study, the prevalence, stability, and adaptability of perfectionistic profiles among lower secondary school students and their association with well-being were examined. There were 511 students (mean age 15.3 years, 51.9% female) involved in the study that utilized latent profile and transition analyses to identify four perfectionistic profiles: moderately concerned, perfectionists, ambitious, and non-perfectionists.
The study, published in Learning and Individual Differences, observed transitions among the profiles, including shifts from moderately concerned to non-perfectionists or perfectionists, and from perfectionists to moderately concerned. Perfectionists reported higher levels of burnout, anxiety, and depressive symptoms compared to other groups. Ambitious students, characterized by high strivings and low concerns, reported higher school engagement and lower emotional distress.
Perfectionistic strivings and concerns were measured using the Short Almost Perfect Scale (SAPS). The study found a high correlation between these dimensions at both measurement points (T1 r = .36, T2 r = .42). Rank-order stability of both perfectionistic strivings and concerns between measurement points was high, indicating consistency in students' perfectionistic tendencies over time.
In terms of well-being, students who remained in the ambitious profile across the ninth grade were the most engaged with their studies (M = 4.88), followed by stable perfectionists (M = 4.08), moderately concerned (M = 3.57), and non-perfectionists (M = 2.92). Despite their high engagement, stable perfectionists had the highest levels of exhaustion (M = 3.90). Transitioning from moderately concerned to perfectionists was related to higher school-related exhaustion (M = 3.96) compared to staying in the moderately concerned profile.
Furthermore, the study found that students who remained in the ambitious and non-perfectionist profiles reported equally low levels of general anxiety (ambitious M = 0.54; non-perfectionists M = 0.48) and depressive symptoms (ambitious M = 1.44; non-perfectionists M = 1.54). In contrast, stable perfectionists expressed the highest levels of general anxiety (M = 1.57) and depressive symptoms (M = 2.32).
The researchers indicated the need to differentiate between healthy striving for excellence and maladaptive perfectionism. They suggested that supporting healthy achievement goals without fostering excessive concerns is important during adolescence. This period is marked by increased academic pressure and performance expectations.
The authors reported no conflict of interest.
