An investigation of perfectionism, mental health, achievement and achievement motivation in adolescents

This study examined the relationship of perfectionism with measures of achi evement and achievement motivation and mental health aspects of depression and self-esteem in high school students. Participants were 123 tenth- throu gh twelfth-grade students. Results of multiple regression analyses indicate d that students' personal standards were significant predictors of academic achievement. Students' personal standards also significantly predicted ach ievement motivation. Analyses of the relationship between perfectionism and depression and self-esteem found that as students' personal standards incr eased, their levels of depression decreased and self-esteem increased. Furt hermore, when students experienced a discrepancy between their personal sta ndards and actual performance, their depression levels increased and self-e steem decreased. (C) 2000 John Wiley gr Sons, Inc.