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Dimensions of Perfectionism, Unconditional Self-Acceptance, and Depression

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Abstract

The current research investigated the associations among dimensions of perfectionism, unconditional self-acceptance, and self-reported depression. A sample of 94 students completed the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, the Unconditional Self-Acceptance Questionnaire, and a self-report depression measure. Correlational results indicated that all three trait dimensions of perfectionism (i.e., self-oriented, other-oriented, and socially prescribed perfectionism) were associated negatively with unconditional self-acceptance. Also, as expected, depression was associated with relatively low unconditional self-acceptance. Finally, a path analysis revealed that unconditional self-acceptance mediated the association between socially prescribed perfectionism and depression, and other-oriented perfectionism was found to affect depression only indirectly through its association with low levels of self-acceptance. The findings indicate that perfectionists evaluate themselves in terms of a contingent sense of self-worth, and as such, they are vulnerable to psychological distress when they experience negative events that do not affirm their self-worth.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario, M3J 1P3, Canada

    Gordon L. Flett

  2. York University, Canada

    Avi Besser & Richard A. Davis

  3. University of British Columbia, Canada

    Paul L. Hewitt

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  1. Gordon L. Flett
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  2. Avi Besser
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  3. Richard A. Davis
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  4. Paul L. Hewitt
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Flett, G.L., Besser, A., Davis, R.A. et al. Dimensions of Perfectionism, Unconditional Self-Acceptance, and Depression. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy 21, 119–138 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025051431957

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