Relationship between perfectionism and domains of worry in a college student population: Considering the role of BIS/BAS motives

Abstract

The present study examined whether perfectionism dimensions were unique predictors of worry when behavioral inhibition system (BIS) and behavioral activation system (BAS) motives are also considered in the model in a sample of 254 college students. Results indicated that, although BIS/BAS motives accounted for variance in different domains of worry, perfectionism dimensions were found to account for additional variance in worry. Indeed, perfectionism dimensions were found to be more robust predictors of worry than BIS/BAS motives. Implications for the present findings with regard to future research are discussed.

Introduction

Perfectionism has become an important focus of research in recent years. Although different definitions of perfectionism have been provided (Chang, 2003), most researchers have argued that perfectionism represents a personality process variable with cognitive and behavioral properties and a form of psychopathology characterized by high personal standards involving harsh self-criticism (Frost et al., 1990, Hewitt and Flett, 1991). Indeed, studies based on college students have shown that greater perfectionism is associated with greater maladjustment, including greater depressive symptoms, suicide ideation, and greater worry (Shafran & Mansell, 2001). With regard to the study of worry, there are a number of reasons to take a closer look at its relationship with perfectionism.

First, worry itself has been linked to many indicators of psychological maladjustment in adults, including clinical anxiety, depression, and obsessionality (e.g., Brown, O’Leary, & Barlow, 1993). Moreover, within college student populations, worry has long been linked to variations in adjustment and performance (e.g., test anxiety; Flett & Blankstein, 1994). Second, although perfectionism has been examined with worry in college students (e.g., Chang, 2000, Stöber and Joormann, 2001), little is known about the associations between perfectionism and worry as multidimensional constructs. Specifically, although research on clinically dysfunctional or pathological worry has been based on unidimensional conceptualizations (e.g., Meyer, Miller, Metzger, & Borkovec, 1990), research on (non-pathological) worry in college student populations has found that this form of worry represents a multidimensional construct associated with concerns drawn from a variety of different life domains (Joormann and Stöber, 1997, Tallis et al., 1992). Indeed, based on a model of worry derived from six domains believed to represent major sources of everyday satisfaction in adults (viz., relationships, lack of confidence, aimless future, work incompetence, financial, and sociopolitical), Tallis et al. (1992) developed the Worry Domains Questionnaire (WDQ). Research on worry using the WDQ has supported the multidimensional nature of worry, as different domains of worry have been found to have different associations with different variables. Unfortunately, most researchers have tended to focus on the total WDQ score, which does not take into account potential variations across the different life domains. Investigations looking at worry and perfectionism in college students have also been limited to use of the total WDQ score. Hence, little is known about the relationship between perfectionism and specific domains of worry in college students. Clearly, it would be important to determine if perfectionism holds different associations with different worry domains.

Third, as mentioned earlier, it is important to note that within Frost et al.’s (1990) framework, perfectionism is composed of six distinguishable dimensions, namely, concern over mistakes, personal standards, parental expectations, parental criticism, doubts about actions, organization. These dimensions are assessed by the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS; Frost et al., 1990). Consistent with this framework, studies using the MPS have supported the multidimensional nature of perfectionism. Unfortunately, perfectionism was measured as a global construct in the Chang (2000) study and a modified multidimensional model was used in the Stöber and Joormann (2001) study. Therefore, the identification of which specific dimensions of perfectionism are more or less strongly linked with which domains of worry remains unclear at best. Finally, although it would be important to examine these more specific relations, it is important to note that few studies have examined the extent to which perfectionism represents an important unique predictor of maladjustment beyond other useful predictors. Specifically, studies have shown that BIS/BAS motives are implicated in adult adjustment (Carver and White, 1994, Gable et al., 2000).

The behavioral activation system (BAS) and the behavioral inhibition system (BIS) have been viewed as distinct and biologically grounded systems (Reuter, Schmitz, Corr, & Hennig, 2006), that are believed to provide the basic motivational basis for individual differences in behavior, mood, and affect (Gray, 1990). BAS motives are presumed to be responsive to signals of reward, nonpunishment, and escape from punishment, and are believed to be associated with positive emotional experiences or positive affects. In contrast, BIS motives are believed to be responsive to signals of punishment, nonreward, and novelty, and are believed to be associated with negative emotional experiences or negative affects. Indeed, studies in college student populations have shown BIS/BAS motives predict positive and negative affect, respectively (e.g., Gable et al., 2000). Although BIS/BAS motives have been linked to a variety of clinical conditions (e.g., depression, pathological worry), no study has examined the relations between BIS/BAS motives and non-pathological worry in college students. For these reasons, insofar that BIS/BAS motives are believed to represent more “basic” determinants of adjustment, it would be particularly important to examine whether perfectionism remains an important predictor of worry as indicated by past research findings. To date, no study has compared the relative explanatory power of perfectionism over BIS/BAS motives in predicting psychological adjustment.