Examining Ethnic Differences in the Relationship Between Perfectionism and Emotional Adjustment

Author(s):  
Lucille Fay Ling

Perfectionists are people who set excessively high standards for their own performance, adhere to these standards rigidly, and define their self ­worth in terms of achieving these standards. Research has shown that perfectionism is linked with emotional and psychological maladjustment. This study is aimed at examining potential differences in perfectionism and emotional adjustment across two ethnic groups: Caucasian and Asian. Previous literature has shown that Eastern cultures are more self ­criticizing than Western cultures, thus we may expect to see differences in perfectionism across these two cultures. Also, researchers have found that individuals from Eastern cultures may manifest depression in physical symptoms (e.g., headaches) while individuals from Western cultures may express depression in more emotional symptoms (eg, sadness). Thus, differences in how Asians and Caucasians express their emotional maladjustment will be examined. Finally, acculturation may be an important factor because perfectionism in a Western context may have more adverse consequences than in an Eastern context. Method:Asian and Caucasian undergraduate students completed self ­report measures of perfectionism, emotional adjustment, and acculturation. Expected results: First, we expect that Asians will score higher than Caucasians on perfectionism measures. Secondly, there will be a positive correlation between perfectionism and poor emotional adjustment. Thirdly, emotional adjustment will be expressed more physically in Asians and more emotionally in Caucasians. Finally, within the Asian group, level of acculturation will moderate the relationship between perfectionism and emotional maladjustment. Discussion: These results will be discussed in terms of how perfectionism is conceptualized, assessed, and treated.

Crisis ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 272-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison S. Christian ◽  
Kristen M. McCabe

Background: Deliberate self-harm (DSH) occurs with high frequency among clinical and nonclinical youth populations. Although depression has been consistently linked with the behavior, not all depressed individuals engage in DSH. Aims: The current study examined maladaptive coping strategies (i.e., self-blame, distancing, and self-isolation) as mediators between depression and DSH among undergraduate students. Methods: 202 students from undergraduate psychology courses at a private university in Southern California (77.7% women) completed anonymous self-report measures. Results: A hierarchical regression model found no differences in DSH history across demographic variables. Among coping variables, self-isolation alone was significantly related to DSH. A full meditational model was supported: Depressive symptoms were significantly related to DSH, but adding self-isolation to the model rendered the relationship nonsignificant. Limitations: The cross-sectional study design prevents determination of whether a casual relation exists between self-isolation and DSH, and obscures the direction of that relationship. Conclusions: Results suggest targeting self-isolation as a means of DSH prevention and intervention among nonclinical, youth populations.


2005 ◽  
Vol 96 (3) ◽  
pp. 591-594 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald E. Goldsmith ◽  
Ronald A. Clark ◽  
Barbara A. Lafferty

This study assessed the relationship between two important constructs in social psychology, conformity and psychological reactance, which are suggested to be negatively related, i.e., a person higher in the tendency to conform will score lower on psychological reactance and vice versa. The two constructs were measured by multi-item self-report scales, the Therapeutic Reactance Scale of Dowd, et al. and a new tendency to conform scale constructed for this study. Data from a survey of 423 undergraduate students were used to test the hypothesis that scores on the scales were negatively correlated. The hypothesized relationship was positively supported by a significant but only moderately sized correlation ( r = -.32, p < .001).


2021 ◽  
pp. 106342662110600
Author(s):  
Kristen A. Archbell ◽  
Robert J. Coplan

Social anxiety is related to a host of negative student outcomes in the educational context, including physical symptoms of anxiety, reduced cognitive functioning, and poor academic performance. Despite the prevalence of social anxiety, little is known about mechanisms that may underlie associations between social anxiety and outcomes in the context of higher education. Therefore, the goal of this study was to evaluate a conceptual model linking social anxiety, communication with peers and instructors, students’ experiences (i.e., engagement, connectedness, and satisfaction), and indices of socio-emotional functioning at university. Participants were N = 1,073 undergraduate students ( Mage = 20.3 years, SD = 3.49) who completed a series of self-report measures. Among the results, social anxiety was negatively related to communication with instructors, socio-emotional functioning, and student experiences, and academic communication accounted for significant variance in the links between social anxiety and student experiences. In addition, there was at least some evidence that student experiences partially mediated the association between social anxiety and socio-emotional functioning. Gender effects suggest that social anxiety is related to less communication with instructors, lower engagement and satisfaction, and poorer socio-emotional functioning among females compared with males. Results are situated within current literature examining social anxiety in education. The discussion provides concrete suggestions for educational practitioners to increase support for students who experience social anxiety.


2012 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 1272-1282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bartolomé Llor Esteban ◽  
Mª Montserrat Sánchez Ortuño ◽  
Mariano García Izquierdo ◽  
José Antonio Ruiz Hernández ◽  
Aurelio Luna Maldonado

Previous research has suggested that personality can influence the perception and reporting of physical symptoms, such as pain. To assess the relationship between the course of nonorganic neck pain and the individual's personality, we studied the association between two indicators of neck pain prognosis, such as the duration of sick leave associated with neck pain and sick leave recurrence, and 15 personality traits in a sample of 64 workers suffering from disabling neck pain without any signs of physical abnormalities in the neck area. The TEA Personality Test (TPT), a self-report instrument designed to evaluate personality traits related to organizational behaviors, was used. Compared to the normative data, the study sample obtained high scores in the Depression, Anxiety and Emotional Instability scales, thus suggesting a personality profile primarily characterized by high neuroticism-related scores. Controlling for age, gender, and any rehabilitation undergone, we found a positive relationship between Depression and the duration of sick leave (in weeks). Moreover, lower scores on the TPT personality trait Dynamism and activeness were associated with higher likelihood of sick leave recurrence. These findings highlight the need for further research into the role played by personality at the onset and in the maintenance of nonorganic neck pain. Furthermore, they suggest that a complementary psychological approach may be useful to nonorganic neck pain management.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ortal Slobodin ◽  
Tamar Icekson ◽  
Lee Herman ◽  
Ofri Vaknin

Research has increasingly recognized the adverse effects of perceived discrimination on the academic outcomes of children and adolescents from ethnic and racial minority backgrounds. However, little is known about the association between perceived discrimination and the motivation of ethnic minority students to pursue higher education. Guided by an academic resilience framework, the current study examined the relationship between perceived discrimination and two types of motivation to pursue higher education (personal/career-driven and expectation-driven) among Ethiopian undergraduate students in Israel. In addition, we examined the role of ethnic identity as a potential moderator of this relationship. Participants were 183 undergraduate students of Ethiopian origin (77% females) who studied in 18 different higher-education institutes. Participants completed self-report questionnaires concerning their experiences of perceived discrimination, affiliation with their Ethiopian identity, and their reasons for pursuing higher education. Results showed that frequent discrimination experiences were positively related to a stronger ethnic identity and to higher levels of personal/career motivation to pursue higher education. Ethnic identity moderated the relationship between perceived discrimination and personal/career motivation so that the association was significant under low and moderate levels of ethnic identity but not under high levels. Our findings suggest that the awareness of discrimination may motivate students to pursue higher education and succeed in academia. However, the motivating force of perceived discrimination diminishes under high levels of ethnic identification. Further investigation is needed to explore how discrimination and ethnic identity work together to impact academic motivation in different developmental stages and socio-cultural contexts.


1972 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 143-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. P. Macdonald ◽  
Vicki S. Kessel ◽  
James B. Fuller

63 (37 male and 26 female) undergraduate students were Ss in a study of the relationship between two kinds of trust and self-disclosure. As predicted, self-disclosure (Jourard scale) was related to trust as measured with the Prisoners' Dilemma Game, but not to Interpersonal trust, as measured with Rotter's scale. No relationship was found between the Rotter Interpersonal Trust Scale and the Prisoner's Dilemma. In line with previous findings: (a) the Rotter Scale correlated with a self-report trust scale, and (b) the Prisoners' Dilemma with authoritarianism (F scale).


2010 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolyn N. Lorian ◽  
Jessica R. Grisham

AbstractBackground:The pervasive tendency to avoid perceived risks has been recently implicated in the maintenance of anxiety pathology, and more specifically, social phobia. Social anxiety symptoms are thus hypothesised to be associated with a global risk-avoidant decision-making bias.Aim:This study investigated: (1) the relationship between risk-avoidance and social anxiety symptoms using both self-report and behavioural measures of risk-taking; and (2) whether risk-avoidance mediates the relationship between a dispositional vulnerability to anxiety (Behavioural Inhibition System [BIS] sensitivity) and social anxiety symptoms.Method:Fifty-five undergraduate students completed self-report measures assessing for social anxiety symptoms, risk-taking across various domains, and BIS sensitivity. Risk-avoidance was also assessed using a behavioural computer task.Results:As hypothesised, risk-avoidance correlated significantly with both social anxiety and BIS. Multiple regression analyses revealed that risk-avoidance served as a partial mediator between BIS and social anxiety.Conclusion:These results confirm the hypothesised relationship between BIS, risk-avoidance, and social anxiety symptoms. Risk-avoidance is one possible mechanism by which personality characteristics may be linked to anxiety pathology.


2014 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 334-347 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sukumarakurup Krishnakumar ◽  
Kay Hopkins

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of emotion perception ability through two different paradigms (self-report and ability-based) on an individual's motivation to lead, an individual's desire to assume leadership roles. Design/methodology/approach – The authors have used a survey method in this study. The authors collected data from 172 undergraduate students. Findings – The findings indicate that emotion perception ability was significantly related to MTL. The authors also found that emotion perception ability was more substantially related to the non-calculative dimension of MTL than others. Originality/value – To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to show the relationship of emotion perception ability to motivation to lead. Organizations can use the finding to screen and train future leaders using an ability-based test of emotion perception similar to one the authors have presented.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Molly E. Atwood

Binge eating is a core diagnostic feature of several eating disorders; however, controversy exists regarding the extent to which the size of an eating episode is important in the definition of a binge. The present study examined the relationship between subjective binge eating episodes (SBEs: experiencing loss of control while eating relatively small amounts of food) and eating disorder pathology, general pathology, and eating disorder-specific and general cognitive distortions in female undergraduate students (N=116) via self-report measures. In addition, negative affect and stress were examined as proximal antecedents of SBEs using naturalistic prospective monitoring. Findings indicated SBEs are associated with broad markers of eating disorder pathology and aspects of general pathology, and that eating disorder-specific cognitive distortions mediate the relationship between dietary restraint and SBE frequency. In addition, higher levels of negative affect were found to precede SBEs; however, stress was not identified as a statistically significant proximal antecedent. Findings are interpreted in light of methodological limitations, and clinical implications are discussed.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Emmanuel E. Alvarez ◽  
Sherry D. Pujji ◽  
Thomas J. Dinzeo

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Cognitive failures are commonplace within the general population but may be particularly heightened in those with higher levels of schizotypy. This is especially salient in the context of enduring trait and momentary state negative emotion which often contributes to increases in daily impairments, leading to a more debilitating and distracted life. Particularly, individuals with elevated levels of schizotypy may be more likely to experience cognitive failures, especially in the presence of negative trait emotion such as depression, anxiety, and stress. However, little is known about the influence of state emotion and the distinct roles that state and trait emotion may have with cognitive failures and schizotypy. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> To replicate and extend previous findings, 306 (58% males) undergraduate students aged 18–50 years (M = 19.343; SD = 2.493) completed self-report measures of cognitive failures, trait and state emotion, and schizotypy. Mediation and moderation analyses were performed in SPSS to examine the potential effects of trait and state emotion on the relationship between schizotypy and cognitive failures. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Consistent with previous findings, mood symptomology, in addition to negative affect, mediated cognitive failures in those with higher levels of schizotypy. However, in our sample, positive affect did not appear to buffer against cognitive failures. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> The findings of the present study suggest there may be a nuanced relationship between both negative trait and state emotions on the relationships between cognitive failures and schizotypy. Understanding the interaction of enduring versus momentary emotion on cognition as they relate to an elevated risk for developing schizophrenia-spectrum phenomena may be a point for earlier and more targeted interventions.


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