The impact of perfectionism, performance feedback, and stress on affect and depressive symptoms

This investigation examined the effects of perfectionism (perfectionistic concerns, perfectionistic strivings) on negative affect and depressive symptoms for 125 university students. The study consisted of a laboratory session and a four-week follow-up. In the laboratory session, individuals with higher perfectionistic concerns experienced increases in negative affect during a mock intelligence test. Further, perfectionistic concerns interacted with experimentally manipulated feedback (success vs. failure) such that perfectionistic concerns were highly associated with negative affect in the context of failure. At follow-up, perfectionistic concerns were associated with higher depressive symptoms and interacted with life stress such that perfectionistic concerns were highly associated with depression in the context of greater life stress. Theoretical and clinical implications are also discussed.