Citation

Stornelli D, Flett GL, Hewitt PL. Can. J. Sch. Psychol. 2009; 24(4): 267-283.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0829573509342392

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The current study examined the association between dimensions of perfectionism and levels of academic achievement and affect in school-aged children. A sample of 223 students (90 boys, 133 girls) from regular, gifted, and arts programs completed measures of self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism, perceived academic competence, and measures of affect (i.e., happiness, sadness, and fear). Participants were in Grade 4 or Grade 7. Achievement scores were taken from the Canadian Achievement Test. There was little evidence of group differences in levels of perfectionism. Also, perfectionism was mostly unrelated to levels of reading and mathematics achievement with the exception of a positive association between mathematics achievement and perfectionism for students in the gifted program. Other analyses showed that self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism were associated with elevated levels of fear and sadness. The results suggest that students undergoing perfectionistic pressures to achieve are prone to negative affects such as sadness and anxiety.

Language: en