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<\/p>\nSydney Waddington<\/p>\n
May 2, 2023<\/p>\n
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What is Perfectionism?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Perfectionism is a personality trait that involves striving for excellence and setting excessively high personal standards, often accompanied by high levels of self-criticism [1]. Perfectionism knows no bounds, as it can affect all areas of life, such as appearance, health, sports, relationships, and as we\u2019ll soon come to discuss, academic success.<\/span><\/p>\n Risk Factors of Perfectionism<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Being highly perfectionistic can have serious consequences for some people. Research has shown that perfectionism, and particularly perfectionism that involves a high degree of self-criticism, is associated with the following\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n It is important to note that just because something is highly correlated, such as perfectionism and mental health challenges, does not mean that it is a determining (i.e., causal) factor. Everyone is different, and thus everyone will have different outcomes in life.<\/span><\/p>\n Perfectionism vs. Competitiveness<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Sometimes it can be difficult to tease apart perfectionism from other traits that are also related to striving for success, such as competitiveness. One form of competitiveness that can be particularly tricky to contrast is personal enhancement<\/em> competitiveness, which is characterised by \u201cthe desire to perform well to display one’s competency, achievement, and self-improvement\u201d [6]. The key difference between perfectionism and competitiveness is that perfectionistic individuals are concerned with performing flawlessly, whereas competitive individuals are concerned with outperforming someone, whether it be themselves or someone else.<\/span><\/p>\n Perfectionism vs. Academic Achievement<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n It is important to realize that perfectionism is not the same as having reasonable expectations for your academic performance. While perfectionism can contribute to unhealthy habits due to unreasonably high expectations, academic achievement involves setting and achieving realistic goals that do not significantly interfere with other aspects of your life.<\/span><\/p>\n Perfectionism and academic achievement won\u2019t look the same for everyone, but some examples to distinguish the two are the following\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n Academic Achievement: <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t hangout with friends this weekend, because I have an exam on Monday\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe graduate program I\u2019m interested in suggests that applicants should have experience in two different labs, so I\u2019ll consider joining a third lab if I have time, to stand out on my application\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not confident in my graduate school application essay, so I\u2019ll read it over and see where I can improve it\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Perfectionism:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t have friends because I need to focus on earning over 95% in every course\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe program I\u2019m interested in suggests that applicants should have experience in two different research labs, so I\u2019ll join five to really stand out\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI have to re-do my graduate school application essay, because I saw one typo and can\u2019t risk any mistakes\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Perfectionism and Pre-Graduate School<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n As mentioned, perfectionism can affect any and all areas of life, and completing the daunting checklist involved in applying to graduate school is no exception. Many students can begin to feel overwhelmed by the high expectations set by graduate programs, leading to the development of some perfectionistic tendencies regarding their academic success.<\/span><\/p>\n Some areas where perfectionism can creep in are\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n How to Cope with Perfectionism as a Pre-Graduate Student<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Although there are many ways to cope with perfectionism, and not every method will work for everyone, here are some strategies that have been dug up from education, psychology, and counselling literature [7, 8] \u2026<\/span><\/p>\n Perfectionism can be difficult to navigate and can add stress and anxiety on top of already stressful situations, such as gearing up to apply to graduate school. It can also be challenging to tell the difference between perfectionism, competitiveness, and academic achievement. To help understand and navigate perfectionism, check out these resources below:<\/span><\/p>\n References<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n [1] Stoeber, J. (2016). Perfectionism. In: Zeigler-Hill, V., Shackelford, T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer, Cham. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/978-3-319-28099-8_2027-1<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n [2] Egan, S. J., Wade, T. D., & Shafran, R. (2011). Perfectionism as a transdiagnostic process: A clinical review. Clinical Psychology Review<\/em>, 31<\/em>(2), 203-212. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.cpr.2010.04.009<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n [3] Zelkowitz, R. L., & Cole, D. A. (2019). Self\u2010criticism as a transdiagnostic process in nonsuicidal self\u2010injury and disordered eating: Systematic review and meta\u2010analysis. Suicide and Life\u2010Threatening Behavior<\/em>, 49<\/em>(1), 310-327.<\/span><\/p>\n [4] Kun, B., Urb\u00e1n, R., B\u0151the, B., Griffiths, M. D., Demetrovics, Z., & K\u00f6k\u00f6nyei, G. (2020). Maladaptive Rumination Mediates the Relationship between Self-Esteem, Perfectionism, and Work Addiction: A Largescale Survey Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17<\/em>(19), 7332. http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.3390\/ijerph17197332<\/span><\/p>\n [5] Powers, T. A., Koestner, R., Zuroff, D. C., Milyavskaya, M., & Gorin, A. A. (2011). The effects of self-criticism and self-oriented perfectionism on goal pursuit. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin<\/em>, 37<\/em>(7), 964-975. https:\/\/doi.org\/ 10.1177\/0146167211410246<\/span><\/p>\n [6] Klein, R. G., Dooley, D., Lapierre, K., Pitura, V. A., & Adduono, D. (2020). Trait perfectionism and competitiveness: Conceptual similarities and differences in a lab-based competitive task. Personality and Individual Differences<\/em>, 153<\/em>. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.paid.2019.109610<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n [7] Dickinson, M. J., & Dickinson, D. A. G. (2015) Practically perfect in every way: can reframing perfectionism for high-achieving undergraduates impact academic resilience? Studies in Higher Education<\/em>, 40<\/em>(10), 1889-1903. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/03075079.2014.912625<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n [8] Ginsburg, K. R. (2013, October 29). What creates perfectionism. Healthychildren.org. https:\/\/www.healthychildren.org\/English\/ages-stages\/young-adult\/Pages\/What-Fuels-Perfectionism.aspx#:~:text=Dweck%20explains%20that%20people%20with,feel%20smart%20when%20they%20avoid<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n\n
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