The present study investigated the essential conditions of perfectionism and the factors that distinguished with adaptive perfectionists and maladaptive perfectionists. The Pusan Perfectionism Scale(PPS) measuring perfectionism was developed to examin...
The present study investigated the essential conditions of perfectionism and the factors that distinguished with adaptive perfectionists and maladaptive perfectionists. The Pusan Perfectionism Scale(PPS) measuring perfectionism was developed to examined the validity for theoretical assumptions about perfectionism. A 40-item questionnaire, designed to measure adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism, was administered to 246 university students. A factor analysis of the data extracted four factors; Standards, Thoroughness, Evaluation about Performances, Concerns over Evaluation. The Standards and Thoroughness were core factor to define the perfectionism. Of those who meet essential requirements to define perfectionism, adaptive perfectionists were defined by high Evaluation about Performances and low Concerns over Evaluation, and maladaptive perfectionists were defined by high Concerns over Evaluation and low Evaluation about Performances. Standards and Thoroughness, the essential requirements of perfectionism, did not affect psychological adjustments. Analysis of the relationship with several psychological adjustment indicators revealed that adaptive perfectionists were happier and more adaptive than maladaptive perfectionists. Implications and limitations of the study and suggestions for future studies were discussed.