Does perfectionism lead to well-being? The role of flow and personality traits

Abstract

Perfectionism is a personality trait that plays an important role in understanding human behavior and functioning. There has been a focus on the negative aspects and outcomes of perfectionism, and less is known about whether and how perfectionism relates to adaptive characteristics of personality and normal functioning. We investigated associations between different aspects of perfectionism and psychological well-being in two studies by determining the role of dispositional flow and personality traits in this relationship. In Study 1, participants completed questionnaires for perfectionism, psychological well-being and flow. In Study 2, personality traits from the HEXACO model of personality were additionally measured. We found that psychological well-being had a positive correlation with conscientious perfectionism and a negative correlation with self-evaluative perfectionism. Flow mediates the relationship between conscientious perfectionism and psychological well-being. There was no correlation between self-evaluative perfectionism and dispositional flow. After controlling for relevant personality traits, dispositional flow remains the mediator between conscientious perfectionism and psychological well-being, but the relation becomes negative. Implications for the understanding of how different components of perfectionism are related to psychological well-being and how flow experience contributes to this relationship are discussed.

Self-Esteem as a Mediator Between Passion and Academic Perfectionism for Postgraduate Students

“…Perfectionism can also be defined as a personality trait characterised by a desire for excellence and a desire to achieve perfection (Kamushadze et al,2021). Demirci and Epikkurt (2018) found that perfectionism influences interpersonal relationships as well as being affected by interpersonal interactions.…”

“…Perfectionism is a characteristic of personality that is essential for comprehending human behaviour and progress. There has been a concern about the bad elements and results of perfectionism, but little has been explored in its relation to adaptive personality characteristics and normal functioning (Kamushadze et al, 2021). Vallerand (2010) found that individuals who are passionate about a certain activity care deeply about it and, at the same time, aspire to excel at it.…”

Test anxiety, coping, and academic achievement: Maladaptive perfectionism as a moderator

“…Резултати постојећих истраживања сугеришу да маладаптивни перфекционизам испољава значајне како директне тако и посредне (модерационе и модерирано-медијационе) ефекте на појаву многих био-психо-социјалних последица у различитим врстама стресних трансакција (Hewitt, 2020;Linnett & Kibowski, 2020). Он доприноси знаковима сагоревања, емоционалној дисрегулацији, нижем нивоу емоционалног благостања, међуљудским проблемима и уопштено посматрано, повишеном нивоу стреса (Kamushadze, Martskvishvili, Mestvirishvili & Odilavadze, 2021;Madigan, 2019;Moate et al, 2019). Многобројна су и она истраживања која недвосмислено указују на позитивну повезаност маладаптивног перфекционизма са разним психопатолошким категоријама, попут поремећаја исхране, опсесивно-компулзивног поремећаја, агорафобије, паничног поремећаја, социјалне фобије, нарцистичког поремећаја личности и депресије (Limburg, Watson, Hagger & Egan, 2017;Overholser & Dimaggio, 2020;Smith et al, 2022;Starley, 2019).…”

“…The results of extant research suggest that maladaptive perfectionism has significant direct and indirect (moderation and moderation-mediation) effects on experiencing bio-psycho-social consequences in various kinds of stressful transactions (Hewitt, 2020;Linnett & Kibowski, 2020). It contributes to signs of burnout, emotional dysregulation, lower levels of emotional wellbeing, interpersonal problems, and generally heightened stress levels (Kamushadze, Martskvishvili, Mestvirishvili & Odilavadze, 2021;Madigan, 2019;Moate et al, 2019). Likewise, numerous studies have decisively demonstrated a positive link between maladaptive perfectionism and various psychopathological categories, such as eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, agoraphobia, panic disorder, social phobia, narcissistic personality disorder, and depression (Limburg, Watson, Hagger & Egan, 2017;Overholser & Dimaggio, 2020;Smith et al, 2022;Starley, 2019).…”

Comparison of Perfectionism and Tolerance of Ambiguity in the Subtypes of Illness Anxiety Disorder

“…Undoubtedly, many differences in people's behavior can be traced to their personality characteristics (Letzring, 2008), and care-seeking or care-avoidance cannot be an exception to this rule. In this regard, perfectionism (Kamushadze, Martskvishvili, Mestvirishvili, & Odilavadze, 2021;Rosenbloom & Eldror, 2017;Seeliger & Harendza, 2017) and tolerance of ambiguity (Abbasnia, Sangani, Donyavi, Abbasniya, Rezaeefard, & Moosavi, 2019;Arnáez et al, 2020) are essential personality characteristics, which can be involved in behaviors, such as care-seeking or care-avoidance.…”