Converging evidence indicates that the high prevalence of perfectionism and associated pressures to be perfect among adolescents constitute a growing societal problem, especially given concerns about the mental health of young people. This qualitative study sought to understand how adolescent perfectionists recruited from the community define and think about perfectionism. Semistructured interviews were completed with 46 self-identified adolescent perfectionists (Mage = 16.33 years, SD = 1.93; 44 females, 2 males). Analyses yielded new key insights about how adolescent perfectionists define and think about perfectionism. Themes that emerged confirmed the multidimensionality of perfectionism and associated self-evaluative, self-presentational, and cognitive tendencies. Unique themes included the role of social comparison and the commitment to perfectionism despite recognizing the costs. The picture that emerged from this work is that perfectionism is exceptionally complex at the construct level and has elements that account for the heterogeneity that exists among adolescents who all share the self-identified label of being “a perfectionist.” Most notably, this work highlights the importance of understanding the need to be perfect and how perfectionism goes well beyond striving for excellence. The implications of this work are considered in terms of assessment, prevention, and practice.

The current work provides a multi-methods exploration of how within-person subtypes of self-oriented perfectionism (SOP) and socially prescribed perfectionism (SPP) were related to shifts in health-promoting behaviors among adolescents following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Study One tested the 2 × 2 and tripartite models of perfectionism through a quantitative test of how such subtypes predicted changes in health behaviors pre-pandemic to intra-pandemic among 202 adolescents ( M = 17.86, SD = 1.421). Results indicated that the combination of high SOP/high SPP was linked to the most maladaptive changes to health-promoting behaviors, supporting the tripartite model. Study Two aimed to contextualize these findings by analyzing semi-structured interviews with 31 adolescent self-identified perfectionists ( M = 15.97, SD = 1.991) during the initial lockdown mandate. Results indicated that participants experienced a welcome break and found more time to engage in health-promoting behaviors. However, those high in SOP – regardless of their level of SPP – had more difficulty relaxing due to a resistance to relenting their perfectionistic standards. Altogether, these findings support the exacerbating role of SOP when combined with SPP posited by the tripartite model of perfectionism with respect to adolescents' health-promoting behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Dynamic changes in perfectionism dimensions and psychological distress among adolescents assessed before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Child Development,

This study provided the first test of the 2 × 2 model of perfectionism with respect to dancers’ goals for dancing in competitive dance. Four hundred twenty-five young female North American competitive dancers (M = 11.33 years; SD = 2.14) completed questionnaires assessing multidimensional perfectionism and goals for participation in dance. The latent moderated structural equations approach along with procedures outlined by Gaudreau indicated partial support for the 2 × 2 model of perfectionism. Pure Evaluative Concerns Perfectionism was associated with fewer intrinsic goals for dance and greater extrinsic goals for dance relative to nonperfectionism. Pure Personal Standards Perfectionism was related to less endorsement of extrinsic goals relative to nonperfectionism. Findings were complex with respect to mixed perfectionism, with this form of perfectionism being related to greater endorsement of both intrinsic and extrinsic goals for dance. Results provide partial support for the 2 × 2 model in youth dance.