Citation

Williams CJ, Cropley M. J. Health Psychol. 2013; 19(10): 1211-1221.

Affiliation

University of Surrey, UK.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1359105313488971

PMID

23740260

Abstract

If perfectionists avoid engaging in preventive health behaviours, they may be putting their long-term health and well-being at risk. Correlational analyses based on a sample of 370 university students identified maladaptive perfectionism to be associated with decreased levels of engagement in preventive health behaviours, life satisfaction and well-being and increased levels of self-concealment and psychological distress. Adaptive perfectionism was associated with higher levels of engagement in preventive health behaviours. Self-concealment was identified as a partial mediator in the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and both engagement in preventive health behaviours and psychological distress. Implications of the findings are discussed.

Language: en