Research Hit: The Four Types of Perfectionism and Mental Well-Being
Researchers have identified four types of perfectionism and measured how these relate to stress and mental well-being in school students
Are there really four types of perfectionism?
Kind of. I suppose it is better to say there is a range of perfectionism. This is based on previous research and also this particular research I am reporting on by Anna Kusi of the University of Eastern Finland.
I am intrigued - what are the four types of perfectionism?
In this study of 9th graders in Finland (around about 15 years of age) they found the same types of profiles as in other studies based on strivings (motivation) and concerns (worry/self-criticism):
Perfectionists (high strivings and high concerns)
Ambitious (high strivings and low concerns)
Moderately concerned (relatively low strivings and relatively high concerns)
Non-perfectionists (low strivings and low concerns)
Ok, I vary between 2, 3, and 4!
Well, that is unusual. The research also showed that these profiles were stable over time. For most that is. 20% showed variations and shifting between profiles over the year (so you’re in the 20%). I imagine it could also be context dependent.
But the question they really wanted to answer was: how do these profiles impact stress and mental well-being?
Yes, that is important. What did they find?
Well the ambitious and perfectionist students were highly engaged - as their profiles say. But the perfectionists exhibited much higher burnout, anxiety, and depressive symptoms.
Wow - so being perfections really does impact well-being!
Yes, ‘fraid so. But the moderately concerned also exhibited poorer mental well-being.
What is also more interesting and therefore also relevant for you is that well-being was also closely correlated to changes in profile. So for those students whose profiles changed during the year, their well-being also matched the profile. So, if they went form moderately concerned to perfectionist, their well-being decreased, on average.
Oh so perfectionism lowers mental well-being - or rather being concerned!
Yes, the challenge of course, I say, is knowing when to be concerned and when not. Sometimes perfectionism is great. But yes, the ambitious and non-perfectionists exhibit higher mental well-being.
Of note is that the largest group is that of moderately concerned - which do exhibit relatively high propensity for negative mental outcomes.
Of importance is also that this is related and was measured using self-criticism and satisfaction as measures.
So these are also the points of intervention?
Precisely, so we can train and build awareness around self-criticism and satisfaction. Perfectionists will be more self-critical - which can be useful sometimes but needs to be tempered.
True, and does this also translate to the workplace or other areas in life?
Totally, these are personality patterns so are just as relevant in the workplace. In fact it could be that many jobs tend to hire perfectionists as a preference!
So, something to also think about in business and leadership?!
Absolutely. But I often say we should have high, striving, high concerns, but be able to know when to switch off the self criticism and be satisfied and move on.
Easier said than done!
Yes, but possible with awareness, training, coaching, practice, and good leadership.
References
Anna Kuusi, Heta Tuominen, Anna Widlund, Johan Korhonen, Markku Niemivirta.
Lower secondary students' perfectionistic profiles: Stability, transitions, and connections with well-being.
Learning and Individual Differences, 2024; 110: 102419
DOI: 10.1016/j.lindif.2024.102419