Maladaptive Perfectionism, Disguised Distress, and Help Seeking in the Culture of “Saving Face”: Links to Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms among Asian Youth

Abstract

Research has found disguised distress to mediate the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and psychopathology. While disguised distress shares features with the tendency to protect one’s self-image, also known as “saving face” in Asian cultures, no study has explored these constructs in relation to each other. The present mixed methods study examines the roles that “saving face” culture and associated self-concealment, perfectionistic self presentation, and help-seeking attitudes have in the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and anxiety and depression among Asian youth. Two hundred and eleven Asian international students attending college in the US were administered the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, Self-Concealment Scale, Perfectionistic Self-Presentation Scale, Consciousness of Social Face Scale, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, and Attitudes Towards Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale. Semi-structured interviews examining childhood and adolescent experiences growing up in Asia were conducted with a subset of ten students. Correlation, mediation, and moderation analyses were conducted, interviews were coded, and findings were merged. Desire to gain face, fear of losing face, self-concealment, and a preference to cope on one’s own were significant mediators and the first three variables were significant moderators in the link between perfectionism and distress. There were strong correlations between these constructs. Interview themes revealed an overarching concern over meeting expectations and saving face, and multi-faceted ways in which the need to be perfect manifested. The community as a complex support system and a growth-oriented mindset emerged as likely protective factors. Implications for mental health in Asia and the role of culture in psychological research are discussed.

Inhibitors and facilitators to the utilization of postpartum care in China: an integrative review

“…With the profound Chinese traditions dating back to the ancient Chinese history, the conservative thoughts and traditional Chinese saving face culture prohibited women to go for routine PPC check-ups. This culture barrier existed also in other countries, especially in East Asia [ 56 , 57 ]. To overcome this, systematic approaches from organizational and educational domains were needed.…”