PERFECTIONISM, CONTROL, AND COMPONENTS OF PERFORMANCE ANXIETY IN PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS

The present study tested the hypothesis that perfectionism and persona l control are associated with debilitating and facilitating performanc e anxiety among professional performers. A related goal was to examine how the personality variables were related to indices of performance evaluation and goal satisfaction. A sample of 87 professional performe rs completed the Multidimensional perfectionism Scale, a measure of pe rsonal control, and a measure of debilitating and facilitating perform ance anxiety Subjects also provided ratings of somatic performance anx iety, happiness while performing performance evaluation, and goal sati sfaction. The results showed that self-oriented perfectionism, sociall y prescribed perfectionism, and low personal control were associated w ith greater debilitating performance anxiety, somatic anxiety, and les s goal satisfaction. In addition, hierarchical regression analyses ind icated that higher debilitating anxiety and lower facilitating anxiety were a joint function of high self-oriented perfectionism and low per sonal control. Similarly, it was found that low goal satisfaction was associated jointly with high self-oriented perfectionism and low perso nal control. The results provide general support for self-regulation m odels and attest to the importance of perfectionism and personal contr ol as joint contributors to the quality of performance anxiety and goa t satisfaction.