logo logo European Journal of Educational Research

EU-JER is is a, peer reviewed, online academic research journal.

Subscribe to

Receive Email Alerts

for special events, calls for papers, and professional development opportunities.

Subscribe

Publisher (HQ)

Eurasian Society of Educational Research
Eurasian Society of Educational Research
Christiaan Huygensstraat 44, Zipcode:7533XB, Enschede, THE NETHERLANDS
Eurasian Society of Educational Research
Headquarters
Christiaan Huygensstraat 44, Zipcode:7533XB, Enschede, THE NETHERLANDS
Research Article

Examining the Phenomenon of Perfectionism at the Individual Level in Hungarian Education

Tímea Juhász , Erika Varga , Arnold Tóth

This complex personality trait serves as the main topic of our paper due to the increasing prevalence of perfectionism as well as the rising demands f.


  • Pub. date: January 15, 2025
  • Online Pub. date: October 05, 2024
  • Pages: 1-21
  • 485 Downloads
  • 1410 Views
  • 2 Citations

T

This complex personality trait serves as the main topic of our paper due to the increasing prevalence of perfectionism as well as the rising demands from educational organizations. Our paper can fill a research gap by examining its definitions, models, components, and influencing elements (personality, gender, and immediate environment) in addition to the role of perfectionism in secondary and tertiary education. We assume that perfectionism in higher education is based on its development at secondary school, and it is becoming more intense in time. In 2023 the authors conducted a survey among Hungarian university students to determine the degree to which the participants pursue perfectionism in their professional and personal lives. The questionnaire finally resulted in 550 responses. The findings of our research suggest that women tend to be more perfectionist, but the picture is differently deemed by individuals than by their immediate surroundings. Another noteworthy result revealed that personal perfectionism also depends on the people with whom those who consider themselves perfectionists live. Our SEM model also showed that perfectionism is stronger throughout university studies and that it might be descended from secondary school perfectionism. Personality traits do affect perfectionism at school, which intensifies in higher education after graduating from secondary school.

Keywords: Perfectionism models, striving, performance appraisal at secondary school, performance indicators in further education.

cloud_download PDF
Cite
Article Metrics
Views
485
Download
1410
Citations
Crossref
2

Scopus
0

References

Akbağ, M. (2024). How adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism affect psychological well-being among university students: The mediating role of procrastination. Research on Education and Psychology, 8(1), 226-252. https://doi.org/10.54535/rep.1478695

Castro, J., Soares, M. J., Pereira, A. T., & Macedo, A. (2017). Perfectionism and negative/positive affect associations: the role of cognitive emotion regulation and perceived distress/coping. Trends in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, 39(2), 77-87. https://doi.org/10.1590/2237-6089-2016-0042

Chang, E. C. (1998). Cultural differences, perfectionism, and suicidal risk in a college population: Does social problem solving still matter? Cognitive Therapy and Research, 22, 237-254. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018792709351

Chen, C., Hewitt, P. L., & Flett, G. L. (2019). Adverse childhood experiences and multidimensional perfectionism in young adults. Personality and Individual Differences, 146, 53-57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2019.03.042

Cooks, J. A., & Ciesla, J. A. (2019). The impact of perfectionism, performance feedback, and stress on affect and depressive symptoms. Personality and Individual Differences 146, 62-67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2019.03.048

Dobos, B., Piko, B. F., & Mellor, D. (2021). What makes university students perfectionists? The role of childhood trauma, emotional dysregulation, academic anxiety, and social support. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology62(3), 443-447. https://doi.org/10.1111/sjop.12718

Egan, S. J., Piek, J. P., & Dyck, M. J. (2015). Positive and negative perfectionism and the big five personality factors. Behaviour Change 32(2), 104-113. https://doi.org/10.1017/bec.2015.3

Elison, J., & Partridge, J. A. (2012). Relationship between shame-coping, fear of failure, and perfectionism in college athletes. Journal of Sport Behavior, 35(1), 19-39.

Endleman, S., Brittain, H., & Vaillancourt, T. (2022). The longitudinal associations between perfectionism and academic achievement across adolescence. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 46(2) 91-100. https://doi.org/10.1177/01650254211037400

Fang, T., & Liu, F. (2022). A review on perfectionism. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 10, 355-364. https://doi.org/10.4236/jss.2022.101027

Fawad. (2023). How to use SmartPLS 4: The series of tutorials is a step by step guide to the use of SmartPLS 4. https://bit.ly/4e9ZJV0

Flett, G. L., & Hewitt, P. L. (2022). Perfectionism in childhood and adolescence. A developmental approach. American Psychological Association.

Gaudreau, P., & Thompson, A. (2010). Testing a 2x2 model of dispositional perfectionism. Personality and Individual Differences, 48(5), 532-537. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2009.11.031

Gluschkoff, K., Elovainio, M., Hintsanen, M., Mullola, S., Pulkki-Råback, L., Keltikangas-Järvinen, L., & Hintsa, T. (2017). Perfectionism and depressive symptoms: the effects of psychological detachment from work. Personality and Individual Differences, 116, 186-190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2017.04.044

Grugan, M. C., Hill, A. P., Madigan, D. J., Donachie, T. C., Olsson, L. F., & Etherson, M. L. (2021). Perfectionism in academically gifted students: A systematic review. Educational Psychology Review, 33, 1631-1673. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-021-09597-7

Hair, J. F., Jr., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., Sarstedt, M., Danks, N. P., & Ray, S. (2021). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) using. Springer.

Hill, A. P., & Curran, T. (2015). Multidimensional perfectionism and burnout: a meta-analysis. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 20(3), 269-288. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088868315596286

Hill, A. P., Madigan, D. J., Curran, T., Jowett, G. E., & Rumbold, J. L. (2024). Exploring and evaluating the two-factor model of perfectionism in sport. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 42(6), 612-634. https://doi.org/10.1177/07342829241231149

Kamushadze, T., Martskvishvili, K., Mestvirishvili, M., & Odilavadze, M. (2021). Does perfectionism lead to well-being? The role of flow and personality traits. European Journal of Psychology, 17(2), 43-57. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.1987

Kirdök, O. (2018). Secondary school students’ positive and negative perfectionism as a predictor of career development. Educational Research and Reviews, 13(20), 696-703.

Koutra, K., Mouatsou, C., & Psoma, S. (2023). The influence of positive and negative aspects of perfectionism on psychological distress in emerging adulthood: Exploring the mediating role of self-compassion. Behavioural Science, 13(11), Article 932. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13110932

Kozłowska, M. A., & Kuty-Pachecka, M. (2022). When perfectionists adopt health behaviors: Perfectionism and self-efficacy as determinants of health behavior, anxiety and depression. Current Issues in Personality Psychology, 11(4), 326-338. https://doi.org/10.5114/cipp/156145

Kuusi, A., Tuominen, H., Widlund, A., Korhonen, J., & Niemivirta, M. (2024). Lower secondary students' perfectionistic profiles: Stability, transitions, and connections with well-being. Learning and Individual Differences, 110, Article 102419. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2024.102419

Limburg, K., Watson, H. J., Hagger, M. S., & Egan, S. J. (2017). The relationship between perfectionism and psychopathology: A meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 73(10), 1301-1326. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22435

Linnett, R. J., & Kibowski, F. (2020). A multidimensional approach to perfectionism and self-compassion. Self and Identity, 19(7), 757-783. https://doi.org/10.1080/15298868.2019.1669695

Lo, A., & Abbott, M. J. (2013). Review of the theoretical, empirical, and clinical status of adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism. Behaviour Change, 30(2), 96-116. https://doi.org/10.1017/bec.2013.9

Loscalzo, Y., Giannini, M., & Rice, K. G. (2024). Maladaptive perfectionism at school: Development and validation of the study-related perfectionism scale. Psicología Educativa, 30(2), 93-99. https://doi.org/10.5093/psed2024a6

Madigan, D. J. (2019). A meta-analysis of perfectionism and academic achievement. Educational Psychology Review, 31, 967-989. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-019-09484-2

Manova, V., & Khoury, B. (2023). The relationship between mindfulness and perfectionism in university students during emerging adulthood. Emerging Adulthood, 11(4), 828-844. https://doi.org/10.1177/21676968221126799

Milyavskaya, M., Harvey, B., Koestner, R., Powers, T., Rosenbaum, J., Ianakieva, I., & Prior, A. (2014). Affect across the year: How perfectionism influences the pattern of university students' affect across the calendar year. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 33(2), 124-142. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2014.33.2.124

Moate, R. M., Gnilka, P. B., West, E. M., & Rice, K. G. (2019). Doctoral student perfectionism and emotional well-being. Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, 52(3), 145-155. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481756.2018.1547619

Mofield, E., & Parker Peters, M. (2019). Understanding underachievement: Mindset, perfectionism, and achievement attitudes among gifted students. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 42(2), 107-134. https://doi.org/10.1177/0162353219836737

Musumeci, M. D., Cunningham, C. M., & White, T. L. (2022). Disgustingly perfect: An examination of disgust, perfectionism, and gender. Motivation and Emotion 46, 336-349. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-022-09931-8

Nagy, Z. (2019). A perfekcionizmus értelmezése, mérése és iskolai vetületeinek bemutatása [The interpretation, measurement of perfectionism and the presentation of its forms education]. Magyar Pedagógia, 119(3), 199-217. https://doi.org/10.17670/MPed.2019.3.199

Nagy-Szabó, Z., & Molnár, É. (2023). A perfekcionista énbemutatás jellemzői magyar tanulók körében [Characteristics of perfectionist self-presentation among Hungarian students]. Magyar Pszichológiai Szemle, 78(3), 357-373. https://doi.org/10.1556/0016.2023.00035

Newman, B. N., Strickler, J. G., O'Brien, C., Lui, T., & Lynch, M. (2019). Deconstructing perfectionism in college students: Patterns of behavior, emotion, and cognition. Personality and Individual Differences, 145, 106-111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2019.03.030

Olajos, T., Hőgye-Nagy, Á., Héjja-Nagy, K., & Dávid, M. (2021). Az adaptív és maladaptív perfekcionizmussal együtt járó motivációs mintázatok feltáró vizsgálata [An exploratory study of the motivational patterns associated with adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism]. Magyar Pszichológiai Szemle, 76(2), 353-376. https://doi.org/10.1556/0016.2021.00009

Osenk, I., Williamson, P., & Wade, T. D. (2020). Does perfectionism or pursuit of excellence contribute to successful learning? A meta-analytic review. Psychological Assessment, 32(10), 972-983. https://doi.org/10.1037/pas0000942

Park, H.-J., & Jeong, D. Y. (2015). Psychological well-being, life satisfaction, and self-esteem among adaptive perfectionists, maladaptive perfectionists, and nonperfectionists. Personality and Individual Differences, 72, 165-170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2014.08.031

Psychology Today. (n.d.). Perfectionism Test. https://bit.ly/3BrxpPE

Samfira, E. M., & Paloş, R. (2021). Teachers’ personality, perfectionism, and self-efficacy as predictors for coping strategies based on personal resources. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, Article 751930. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.751930

Sand, L., Bøe, T., Shafran, R., Stormark, K. M., & Hysing, M. (2021). Perfectionism in Adolescence: Associations with Gender, Age, and Socioeconomic Status in a Norwegian Sample. Frontiers in Public Health, 9, Article 688811. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.688811

Sederlund, A. P., Burns, R. L., & Rogers, W. (2020). Multidimensional models of perfectionism and procrastination: Seeking determinants of both. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(14), Article 5099. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17145099

Seong, H., Lee, S., & Chang, E. (2021). Perfectionism and academic burnout: Longitudinal extension of the bifactor model of perfectionism. Personality and Individual Differences, 172, Article 110589. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2020.110589

Sirois, F. M., & Molnar, D. S. (2017). Perfectionistic strivings and concerns are differentially associated with self-rated health beyond negative affect. Journal of Research in Personality 70, 73-83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2017.06.003

Smith, M. M., Sherry, S. B., Chen, S., Saklofske, D. H., Mushquash, C., Flett, G. L., & Hewitt, P. L. (2018). The perniciousness of perfectionism: A meta-analytic review of the perfectionism-suicide relationship. Journal of Personality, 86(3), 522-542. https://doi.org/10.1111/jopy.12333

Sotardi, V. A., & Dubien, D. (2019). Perfectionism, wellbeing, and university performance: A sample validation of the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (FMPS) in New Zealand. Personality and Individual Differences, 143, 103-106, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2019.02.023

Ståhlberg, J., Tuominen, H., Pulkka, A.-T., & Niemivirta, M. (2021). Students' perfectionistic profiles: Stability, change, and associations with achievement goal orientations. Psychology in the Schools, 58(1), 162-184. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22444

Stoeber, J. (2012). Dyadic perfectionism in romantic relationships: predicting relationship satisfaction and long-term commitment. Personality and Individual Differences, 53(3), 300-305. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2012.04.002

Stoeber, J. (2018). The psychology of perfectionism: An introduction. In J. Stoeber (Ed.), The psychology of perfectionism: Theory, research, applications (pp. 3-16). Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.

Stoeber, J., & Damian, L. E. (2014). The Clinical Perfectionism Questionnaire: Further evidence for two factors capturing perfectionistic strivings and concerns. Personality and Individual Differences, 61-62, 38-42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2014.01.003

Stoeber, J., & Otto, K. (2006). Positive conceptions of perfectionism: approaches, evidence, challenges. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 10(4), 295-319. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327957pspr1004_2

Stoeber, J., & Rambow, A. (2007). Perfectionism in adolescent school students: Relations with motivation, achievement, and well-being. Personality and Individual Differences, 42(7), 1379-1389. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2006.10.015

Stoeber, J., & Stoeber, F. S. (2009). Domains of perfectionism: Prevalence and relationships with perfectionism, gender, age, and satisfaction with life. Personality and Individual Differences, 64(4), 530-535. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2008.12.006

Stricker, J., Buecker, S., Schneider, M., & Preckel, F. (2020). Intellectual giftedness and multidimensional perfectionism: a meta-analytic review. Educational Psychology Review, 32, 391-414. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-019-09504-1

Stricker, J., Schneider, M., & Preckel, F. (2019). School satisfaction differentially predicts multidimensional perfectionism one year later. Personality and Individual Differences, 143, 30-35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2019.02.014

Suh, H. N., & Flores, L. Y. (2023). Role of perfectionism in the career decision self-efficacy and outcome expectations of Asian American college students. Asian American Journal of Psychology, 14(3), 274-283. https://doi.org/10.1037/aap0000299

Walton, G. E., Hibbard, D. R., Coughlin, C., & Coyl-Shepherd, D. D. (2020). Parenting, personality, and culture as predictors of perfectionism. Current Psychology, 39, 681-693. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-018-9793-y

Xie, Y., Kong, Y., Yang, J., & Chen, F. (2019). Perfectionism, worry, rumination, and distress: A meta-analysis of the evidence for the perfectionism cognition theory. Personality and Individual Differences, 139, 301-312. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2018.11.028

Yamane, T. (1973). Statistics: An introductory analysis (3rd ed.). Harper & Row Ltd.

Yi, S., & Gentry, M. (2021). Academic perfectionism of high-ability and high-achieving students in mathematics and science: Differential relations by identification criteria of giftedness. Roeper Review, 43(3), 173-186. https://doi.org/10.1080/02783193.2021.1923592

 

...