Self-critical perfectionism, coping, hassles, and current distress: A structural equation modeling approach

University students (131 women, 102 men) completed measures of perfectionis m self-criticism, autonomy, coping (emotion-oriented, task-oriented, and av oidance-oriented), hassles (academic, social, and general), and distress (c urrent depression, anger, and psychosomatic distress). Zeroth-order correla tions distinguished the self-critical perfectionism variables (i.e., social ly prescribed perfectionism, self-criticism, and the solitude subscale of a utonomy) from self-oriented perfectionism Confirmatory factor analysis was risen to assess the measurement model and showed that the self-critical per fectionism variables load strongly on one factor. Structural equation model ing results indicated that self-critical perfectionists' high levels of dis tress and daily hassles might be fully explained by the mediating role of m aladaptive coping. The results support a cognitive theory of psychological stress and coping and illustrate how coping strategies associated with self -critical perfectionism can have important consequences for the experience of both distress and hassles.