A test of the 2 x 2 model of perfectionism with perceived distress, cognitive emotion regulation, and perfectionist cognitions

Based on within-person combinations of self-oriented perfectionism (SOP) and socially prescribed perfectionism (SPP), the 2 x 2 model asserts four personality subtypes: Non-Perfectionism, Pure SOP, Pure SPP, and Mixed Perfectionism. We tested whether these subtypes can be distinctively associated with perceived distress, cognitive emotion regulation (CER) strategies, and perfectionist cognitions. Results of multiple regressions with 213 adults (72.8% female, M = 34.07, SD = 12.04 years old) revealed that Pure SOP (compared with Non-Perfectionism) and Mixed Perfectionism (compared with Pure SPP) perceived similar levels of distress but reported more perfectionist cognitions and both adaptive and maladaptive CER strategies. The two subtypes associated with high SPP reported less adaptive CER strategies than the Pure SOP and Non-Perfectionism. The presence of the SOP facet did not mitigate the detrimental effects of the SPP facet on negative outcomes. On the contrary, the SOP facet seems to have a positive influence on the adoption of adaptive CER strategies and helps attenuate the detrimental effects of the SPP. Studies about the 2 x 2 model of perfectionism should focus on comparing the predicted values between each subtype of perfectionism.