Perfectionism, Rumination, Worry, and Depressive Symptoms in Early Adolescents

Abstract

The present study examined trait perfectionism, automatic perfectionistic thoughts, rumination, worry, and depressive symptoms in early adolescents. A group of 81 elementary school students in Grades 7 and 8 completed 5 questionnaires: the Child-Adolescent Perfectionism Scale, the Perfectionism Cognitions Inventory, the Children’s Response Styles Questionnaire, the Penn State Worry Questionnaire for Children, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. The correlational results revealed associations between both trait perfectionism and perfectionistic automatic thoughts and the indices of depression and worry. Rumination was associated with perfectionistic automatic thoughts, self-oriented perfectionism, depression, and worry. Tests of mediation indicated that rumination mediated the association between perfectionism and depressive symptoms, thus highlighting the role of maladaptive forms of cognitive reactivity in perfectionism. The findings suggested that perfectionistic children and youth are at-risk due to cognitive vulnerabilities and they should benefit from programs focused jointly on reducing perfectionism, associated cognitive tendencies, and susceptibility to depression and worry.

The Relationship Between Positive and Negative Perfectionism and Depressive Symptoms: The Role of Academic Rumination

“…Moreover, a positive association was found between academic rumination and depressive symptoms. Although in this study, academic rumination questionnaire was used, the results were consistent with previous findings (14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23).…”

“…In fact, rumination is a cognitive mechanism that could arise from (negative) perfectionism and lead to depressive symptoms. This means that perfectionism and the accompanying perfectionistic thoughts would give rise to ruminative-like cognitions, which would then, lead to depression (21).…”

“…Using multidimensional perfectionism scale (MPS), Harris et al (20) found that ''brooding'' aspect of rumination, which is a passive, cyclical focus on negative emotions, fully mediates the relation between perfectionism and depressive symptoms. Recently this mediation model has been found in early adolescents (21). Also, O'Connor et al found that brooding rumination has a mediator role in the relationship between perfectionism and psychological distress (22).…”

Longitudinal Links Between Perfectionism and Depression in Children

“…In the current study Hewitt and Flett's (1991b) conceptualization of perfectionism was used because it is well-validated and most commonly used in perfectionism research (e.g., Chang and Rand, 2000;Flett, Coulter, Hewitt, & Nepon, 2011;Flett et al, 1995;Flett, Panico, & Hewitt, 2011;Stoeber, Otto, & Dalbert, 2009). Hewitt and Flett posited that perfectionism consists of three dimensions which differ not in the behaviour per se, but in the target (self vs. others) and motivation (socially-vs. self-motivated) of the perfectionistic behaviour.…”

Perfectionism, Anxiety, and Depressive Distress: Evidence for the Mediating Role of Negative Automatic Thoughts and Anxiety Sensitivity

“…[2][3][4][5] These perfectionistic tendencies have long been known to be risk factors for anxiety, 6,7 eating, 3,8 and depressive disorders. 4,9,10 Current research suggests perfectionistic thinking is a prevalent concern in academic settings. 11,12 This may not be surprising, given the evaluative stressors of academia and the normative desire to perform well.…”