To Explore The Relationship Between The Two Components Of Perfectionism

Perfectionism as a stable personality has gained more and more attention by clinical psychologist. A series studies show that: Perfectionism as a multidimensional personality trait not only comprises positive component but also negative component. Currently there are few articles studying the relationship between the two components of perfectionism, but it's significant to know it for us to better understand the nature of perfectionism. Thus in present study we discuss the nature of the two components of perfectionism and explore the interactive effects between them. Almost Perfectionism Scale Revised Chinese Revised (APS-R-CR),The Self-Esteem Scale(SES),The General Self-Efficacy Scale(GSES)and Beck Depression Inventory(BDI) were measured in 488 undergraduate students ,and SPSS 12.0 and Lisrel 8.70 was used to analyze the data.In Study 1, we examined the correlation between the two components and psychological indicator to test the nature of the two components.In Study 2, using median method, according to the different combinations of high standards and discrepancy, the students were divided into four groups. Compare the differences of four groups to further specify the nature of the two components.In Study 3, we used hierarchical regression to examine the interactive effect between the two components.In Study 4, based on Study 3, in considering the moderating effect of the positive component of perfectionism on the relationship between the negative component of perfectionism and depression, we explored the mediating role of self-esteem between the negative component of perfectionism and depression.The main results are elaborated as following.1 Zero-order correlation and partial correlation both show that high standards was positively correlated with self esteem and self efficacy, but unconcerned with depression; Discrepancy negatively correlated with self esteem and self efficiency, but positively correlated with depression2 Comparing the differences of four groups of people, we find that discrepancy will lead to low self esteem, low self efficiency and depression, so it is a negative component; High standard could be seen as a positive component when the level of discrepancy is low.3 Hierarchical regression show that the interactive effect is not significant when the two components to predict self esteem and self efficiency, but significant when to predict depression.4 The moderating effect of the positive component of perfectionism is significant. After controlling for the moderating effect of high standards on the relationship between discrepancy and depression, self-esteem still partially mediated the relationship between discrepancy and depression.