Trends and Growth Of Perfectionism Over Time
Nowadays, the pressure to be perfect is constantly growing. The world around you is sending more messages than ever about how you must be perfect in all things. You also have more ways, such as social media, to compare yourself to others and assume they are perfect and you are not. Instead of viewing imperfection as normal and necessary, you may interpret it as a personal deficit you need to recover from. Let's take a look at how the trend in perfectionism is growing.
Studies have shown that more and more young people are becoming perfectionists, which is not good news. Hill and Curran (2018) reviewed data from 40,000 college students from the U.K., U.S., and Canada, dating from 1989 to 2016, and discovered that perfectionism is growing. This trend is associated with higher anxiety and depression levels among youth.
The data showed that:
Socially prescribed perfectionism, which is the perception of excessive expectations from others, increased by 33%
Other-oriented perfectionism, which involves placing unrealistic expectations on others, went up by 16%
Self-oriented perfectionism, the personal irrational desire to be perfect, increased by 10%
Perfectionism Rising Among Young People
According to Hewitt and Flett (2018), young people are becoming more perfectionists since 1989. Perfectionism can lead to serious mental health problems such as depression, anorexia, and even suicidal thoughts. That's why it's important not to let perfectionism get out of control. It can be dangerous.
According to a study by Gao and colleagues (2023), college students who score high on perfectionism are more likely to worry about their body image and smile appearance, and feel less confident about themselves. Additionally, the study found that those with high perfectionism are at a greater risk of experiencing anxiety and depression. This cycle means the relationship between perfectionism and self-perception of appearance is quite complicated, and mental health might play an essential role in mediating this connection.
Rising Academic Pressure
Studies show that more and more students feel the need to be perfect due to the rising academic pressure and competition. A survey by Curran and Hill (2019) suggests that this competitive culture in schools and colleges contributes to the rise of perfectionism. They believe this environment fosters a sense of societal pressure to be perfect, where individuals feel they need to be flawless to meet society's expectations.
Help Yourself and Others
To sum up, perfectionism is on the rise and causing many mental and physical health problems. It's essential for everyone to know about this trend and help themselves and others set realistic goals for healthy self-images.
References
Hill, A. P., & Curran, T. (2018, January 26). Perfectionism Is Increasing, and That's Not Good News. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2018/01/perfectionism-is-increasing-and-thats-not-good-news
Hewitt, P. L., & Flett, G. L. (2018, January 3). How perfectionism became a hidden epidemic among young people. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/how-perfectionism-became-a-hidden-epidemic-among-young-people-89405
Gao, X., et al. (2023, May 5). The relationship between perfectionism, self-perception of orofacial appearance, and mental health in college students. Frontiers in Public Health. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1154413/full
Curran, T., & Hill, A. P. (2019). Perfectionism is increasing over time: A meta-analysis of birth cohort differences from 1989 to 2016. Psychological Bulletin, 145(4), 410-429. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000138
