Perfectionism as a Predictor of Positive and Negative Psychological Outcomes: Examining a Mediation Model in Younger and Older Adults

The relations between general perfectionistic tendencies as measured by R. O. Frost, P. Marten, C. Lahart, and R. Rosenblate's (1990) Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS), stress, and psychological outcome were assessed among a sample of younger ( M = 20.00 years; n = 270) and older adults ( M = 46.99 years; n = 256). Results of conducting a series of path analyses examining a mediation model indicated that the influence of perfectionism on a measure of positive psychological outcome (viz., life satisfaction) was fully mediated by stress. In contrast, the influence of perfectionism on measures of negative psychological outcome (viz., negative mood and worry) were only partially mediated by stress. These path-analytic findings were consistent across both age groups. Implications of the present findings for future research and intervention in working with perfectionistic clients are discussed.