Perfectionism and Identity Processes in Two Domains: Mediational Roles of Worry, Rumination, Indecisiveness, Shame, and Guilt

Abstract

The objective of the study was to assess the relationships between two dimensions of perfectionism, that is, perfectionistic strivings and perfectionistic concerns, and identity processes in the domains of future plans and education. It was hypothesized that such consequences of perfectionism as worry, rumination, indecisiveness, and guilt and shame proneness would be mediators of the perfectionism–identity relationship. A total of 696 students took part in the study ( M age = 26.74, SD = 7.56). It was found that perfectionistic strivings may promote the development of identity by supporting adaptive exploration and identity commitment. This relationship was only partly mediated. On the other hand, perfectionistic concerns were associated with significant difficulties with identity formation. This relationship was largely indirect, and indecisiveness proved to be the main mediator of the perfectionistic concerns–identity relationship. High indecisiveness, which disturbs decision-making processes, seems to explain why maladaptive perfectionists have problems with identity formation. These mediational effect was observed in both analyzed domains.

How Good It Would Be to Turn Back Time: Adult Attachment and Perfectionism in Mothers and Their Relationships with the Processes of Parental Identity Formation

“…observed that striving for perfection (similar to self-oriented perfectionism in the Hewitt and Flett's model) in late adolescence is associated with positive identity development and correlate with stronger identity commitment, higher identification with commitments undertaken, and higher exploration, while perfectionistic doubts, fear of criticism and negative evaluation of others (similar to socially-prescribed perfectionism) are associated with difficulties with commitment making. In the second study, Piotrowski (2019) confirmed the Luyckx's results and showed that such emotional and cognitive characteristics associated with perfectionism as indecisiveness, shame proneness, worry, and rumination are important mediators of the perfectionism-identity link. Other-oriented perfectionism has not been previously studied in the context of identity development.…”

“…In general, it must be stressed that the expected link between selforiented perfectionism and parental identity was smaller than anticipated. Based on the results of and Piotrowski (2019) we could expect stronger relationships. However, Luyckx and colleagues and Piotrowski studied the future plans identity domain (future plans clarity) and not the parental one.…”

“…Self-oriented perfectionism manifests itself in setting very high expectations and striving for perfection in everything that is done (Hewitt & Flett, 1991). and Piotrowski (2019) have observed that high expectations towards oneself, while controlling perfectionistic fears and doubts, generally favor undertaking identity commitment and identification with them and stimulate the exploration process by motivating reflection on one's own identity.…”

“…Sociallyprescribed perfectionism is perceived as one of the core maladaptive aspects of perfectionism (Stoeber & Otto, 2006) which is a risk factor for depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (Limburg, Watson, Hagger, & Egan, 2016). and Piotrowski (2019) observed that characteristics of perfectionism similar to socially-prescribed perfectionism (they studied concern over mistakes and doubts about actions that along with socially-prescribed perfectionism form the higher-order maladaptive perfectionism factor; Stoeber & Otto, 2006) may also disrupt identity development processes. The results obtained in the present study suggesting that socially-prescribed perfectionism correlates positively with higher reconsideration of commitment in the parental domain is thus in line with the previous studies.…”

How good it would be to turn back time: Adult attachment and perfectionism in mothers and their relationships with the processes of parental identity formation

“…Identity development, however, moves across various trajectories. Such characteristics as anxiety, indecision, depression which may hinder the process of making important decisions or increase doubts and difficulties at a later time, after making identity decisions, contributing to persistence of the identity crisis Piotrowski: How Good It Would Be to Turn Back Time 56 (Crocetti, Rubini, & Meeus, 2008;Crocetti, Klimstra, Keijsers, Hale, & Meeus, 2009;Luyckx et al, 2008;Piotrowski, 2019).…”