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Perfectionism and Loneliness as Predictors of Depressive and Anxious Symptoms in Asian and European Americans: Do Self-Construal Schemas Also Matter?

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Abstract

In the present study, we examined ethnic differences in perfectionism, loneliness, and self-construal schemas, as unique predictors of depressive and anxious symptoms in a sample of 223 Asian Americans and 309 European Americans. Results of comparative analyses indicated greater concern over mistakes, parental expectations, parental criticism, doubts about actions, loneliness, and interdependence in Asian, compared to European Americans. Furthermore, results of conducting hierarchical regression analyses indicated support for a pan-ethnic model involving perfectionism and loneliness as additive predictors of both depressive and anxious symptoms across Asian and European Americans. Interestingly, across both ethnic groups, self-construal was found to augment the prediction model of depressive symptoms, but not of anxious symptoms, beyond what was accounted for by perfectionism and loneliness. Some implications of the present findings are discussed.

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Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank Chang Suk-Choon and Tae Myung-Sook for their encouragement and support throughout this project.

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  1. Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA

    Edward C. Chang

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  1. Edward C. Chang
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Correspondence to Edward C. Chang.

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Chang, E.C. Perfectionism and Loneliness as Predictors of Depressive and Anxious Symptoms in Asian and European Americans: Do Self-Construal Schemas Also Matter?. Cogn Ther Res 37, 1179–1188 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-013-9549-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-013-9549-9

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