DIMENSIONS OF PERFECTIONISM AND GOAL COMMITMENT - A FURTHER COMPARISON OF 2 PERFECTIONISM MEASURES

Research on perfectionism has suggested that a strong association exis ts between the setting and striving for excessively high standards. Ho wever the motivational aspects of perfectionism have yet to be empiric ally identified The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the u sefulness and psychometric properties of a new goal commitment scale b y assessing commitment to perfection in seven content areas. In additi on to identifying individual differences in perfectionism goal commitm ent, the current research also investigated the association between co mmitment to perfectionism and trait indices of perfectionism. A sample of 261 students rated degree of commitment to perfectionistic goals a nd completed two multidimensional perfectionism scales that assess the personal and social aspects of perfectionism. Analyses confirmed the presence of individual differences in perfectionism goal commitment. C orrelational tests revealed that the trait perfectionism dimensions we re correlated with the goal commitment measure, but the findings varie d as a function of the specific perfectionism goal. Overall, the curre nt data are consistent with the view that the perfectionism construct has a salient motivational component. Our findings suggest that the as sessment of goal commitment is a useful means of examining specific fa cets of the perfectionism construct.