Study: Perfectionism Linked to Anxiety in Young People
Striving for perfection might be seen as a good thing — but a 2023 study has found that it may be linked to a number of different mental health concerns among young people.
Researchers from Australia looked into the association between perfectionism and anxiety, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in people aged between 6 and 24.
They based their conclusions on data from 121 studies on the subject, and looked at two aspects of perfectionism — "perfectionistic concerns" and "perfectionistic strivings."
People with "perfectionistic concerns" worry about being perfect, while those with "perfectionistic strivings" have a desire to achieve perfection — or get close to it.
The researchers found that perfectionistic concerns were quite strongly associated with symptoms of anxiety, depression and OCD.
Perfectionistic strivings were associated with anxiety and OCD, but less strongly.
These results are consistent with previous research, which has often found these same links among people of all ages.
But in a 2018 BBC article, psychologist Kate Rasmussen said perfectionism among young people was becoming a public health issue — and as many as two out of five children and adolescents may be perfectionists.
Research published by the American Psychological Association in the same year found that perfectionism among college students had increased significantly since the 1980s.
As well as the pressure to do well in exams, experts have blamed social media for giving young people unrealistic expectations for themselves in their social, educational and professional lives.
So what can they do about it?
Mental health author Morra Aarons-Mele suggests setting small, achievable goals, being realistic, and — most importantly — being kind to yourself.
However, she adds that getting professional help may also be necessary if perfectionism begins to cause serious difficulties.
And according to Tracy Dennis-Tiwary, a psychology professor from the US, "there is little upside to perfectionism." Writing in The Washington Post, she suggests striving to be excellent, not perfect — and making room for mistakes.
