Perfectionism and Self-Esteem: The Mediating Role of Basic Psychological Needs

Previous research into two forms of perfectionism known as perfectionistic concerns and perfectionistic strivings suggests that while perfectionistic concerns are associated with lower levels of self-esteem, perfectionistic strivings are associated with higher levels of self-esteem. However, the factors that explain why these two forms of perfectionism differ in their relationships to self-esteem remain unclear. The present research—involving two studies—used a self-determination theory perspective to investigate the possibility that three basic psychological needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness explain the relationships between the two forms of perfectionism and self-esteem. In Study 1 (N = 255) perfectionistic strivings were associated with higher levels of needs satisfaction and lower levels of needs frustration, while perfectionistic concerns were associated with lower levels of needs satisfaction and higher levels of needs frustration. In Study 2 (N = 260) needs satisfaction mediated the positive association between perfectionistic strivings and self-esteem, and needs frustration mediated the negative association between perfectionistic concerns and self-esteem. Taken together, these findings suggest that the basic psychological needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness play an important role in explaining why some forms of perfectionism are beneficial to self-esteem and some forms of perfectionism are harmful to self-esteem.