Perfectionism, coping, and emotional adjustment

Undergraduates (N = 204, 71 men and 131 women; average age 20.81, 95% White/European American) completed the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (Frost, Marten, Lahart, & Rosenblate, 1990), the Coping Inventory (Carver, Scheier, & Weintraub, 1989), and the Personal-Emotional Adjustment subscale of the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (Baker & Siryk, 1984). Measures of coping and emotional adjustment revealed differences between three groups of students labeled adaptive, maladaptive, and non-perfectionists. Perfectionism and coping predicted emotional adjustment but coping as a moderator or mediator in the prediction of adjustment was not supported. There was support for perfectionism as mediating dysfunctional coping. Implications for intervention and prevention are discussed.