If perfectionists avoid engaging in preventive health behaviours they may be putting their long-term health and wellbeing at risk. Correlational analyses based on a sample of 370 university students identified maladaptive perfectionism to be associated with decreased levels of; engagement in preventive health behaviours, life satisfaction and wellbeing and increased levels of self-concealment and psychological distress. Adaptive perfectionism was associated with higher levels of engagement in preventive health behaviours. Selfconcealment was identified as a partial mediator in the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and both engagement in preventive health behaviours and psychological distress. Implications of the findings are discussed.Keywords: Maladaptive and adaptive perfectionism, preventive health behaviours, self-concealment.
Running head: PERFECTIONISM, ENGAGEMENT IN PREVENTIVE HEALTH BEHAVIOURS AND SELF-CONCEALMENTPage | 3
IntroductionA striking increase in research concerned with perfectionism coupled with the development of two multidimensional methods of assessment (Frost et al, 1990;Hewitt and Flett, 1991a) has greatly enhanced our understanding of the perfectionism construct, however there still remains a lack of consensus regarding how to define and conceptualise this particular personality trait. Many authors have investigated and supported a two factor model, encompassing positive/adaptive/healthy elements as well as negative/maladaptive/unhealthy ones (e.g. Adkins and Parker, 1996;Blankstein and Dunkley, 2002; Enns and Cox, 1999; Frost et al., 1993;Hill et al., 1997;Rheaume et al., 2000;Terry-Short et al., 1995;Rice et al., 1998;Slade, 1982;Slade and Owens, 1998;Slaney et al., 2002;Stumpf and Parker, 2000).Adaptive perfectionism, believed to be driven by a desire for success (Hamachek, 1978) has been characterised by a high level of organisation, high personal standards, conscientiousness and a desire to achieve personal goals (Slade and Owens, 1998). Adaptive perfectionists (when compared to maladaptive perfectionists) are believed to ruminate less, be less susceptibility to negative affectivity and engage in fewer self-critical evaluations in appraisal situations (Beiling et al., 2004; Enns et al., 2001;Rheaume et al., 2000). A crucial difference between the two types of perfectionists, according to Hamachek (1978) is the fact that although they may set themselves extraordinarily high standards, adaptive perfectionists are flexible enough to allow for occasional mistakes and ultimately derive a real sense of satisfaction from their efforts. Conversely, maladaptive perfectionism is believed to be driven by an intense fear of failure (Hamachek, 1978) and has been associated with negative psychological functioning (Blatt, 1995; Chang, 2003; Flett and Hewitt, 2002;Shafran and Mansell, 2001). Maladaptive perfectionism has also been linked with the desire to conceal Running head: PERFECTIONISM, ENGAGEMENT IN PREVENTIVE HEALTH BEHAVIOURS AND SELF-CONCEALMENT Page | 4 negative in...