Executive function moderates the association between fearful temperament and dimensions of perfectionism

Temperament and the Experience of Tension and Self-Injurious Behaviour in Adolescents-The Mediating Role of Maladaptive Perfectionism

Background: Adolescence is an important point in the emotional development of young people. It is a time when young people are characterised by a high degree of emotional instability and seek effective ways to regulate their emotions. One of the frequent methods they use to cope with emotional tension is self-injurious behaviour. Methods: In the context of the rising incidence of self-harm among adolescents, this study aims to understand the association of temperament with the experience of tension and self-injurious behaviour along with the mediating role of perfectionism among 366 adolescents aged 15 to 20 years (Mage = 17.98, SD = 1.302, 52.7% female). Participants completed questionnaires on temperament traits, level of perfectionism, and experience of tension and self-injurious behaviour. Results: The results show that traits such as perfectionism, sensory sensitivity and emotional reactivity increase the risk of self-injurious behaviour. Maladaptive perfectionism partially mediates the relationship between these traits and the tendency to experience emotional tension. A temperament profile with a protective role was also identified. Conclusions: The results of the study highlight the importance of innate traits as well as environmental and cognitive influences, and may contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms leading to self-injurious behaviour and strategies aimed at its prevention.

The Longitudinal Interplay between Adverse Peer Experiences and Self-Regulation Facets: A Prospective Analysis during Middle Childhood

Positive peer experiences and self-regulation (SR) skills are crucial for children's healthy development, but little is known about how they interact during middle childhood. Therefore, we examined the prospective links between adverse peer experiences (APEs) and SR, drawing from the dataset of the PIER study. Across three measurement points, 1654 children aged 6-11 (T1), 7-11 (T2), and 9-13 years (T3) were included. We assessed the SR facets updating, flexibility, inhibition, emotional reactivity, inhibitory control, and planning using computerized tasks, parent- and teacher-reports. The latent variable of APEs consisted of measures of peer victimization and peer rejection assessed via self-, parent-, and teacher-report. Separate cross-lagged panel models were calculated, investigating the interplay of each SR facet and APEs. Results indicated that experiencing more APEs at T1 predicted higher emotional reactivity, and lower inhibition, inhibitory control, updating, and flexibility at T2. More APEs at T2 predicted higher emotional reactivity and lower planning at T3. Lower inhibition, updating, and flexibility at T2 predicted more APEs at T3. Accordingly, we found a negative bidirectional relationship between inhibition, updating, and flexibility with APEs. Our findings highlight that during middle childhood more APEs predict lower SR, which in turn predicts more experiences of peer victimization and rejection.

A reliability generalization meta-analysis of the child and adolescent perfectionism scale

BACKGROUND

Perfectionism is a prevalent disposition of personality involved in the development and maintenance of a wide range of psychological disorders. The Child and Adolescent Perfectionism Scale (CAPS) is the most usually applied test to assess perfectionism in children and adolescents. This study aimed: (a) to conduct a reliability generalization meta-analysis to estimate the average reliability of the CAPS scores and to search for characteristics of the studies that may explain the variability among reliability estimates, and (b) to estimate the reliability induction rate of the CAPS.

METHOD

An exhaustive search allowed to select 56 studies that reported alpha coefficients with the data at hand for the CAPS.

RESULTS

The average alpha coefficients were 0.87, 0.84 and 0.83, respectively for the CAPS total score and its two subscales, Socially Prescribed Perfectionism (SPP) and Self-Oriented Perfectionism (SOP). Regarding O'Connor's version, the average reliability coefficients were 0.82, 0.74 and 0.73, respectively, for SPP, SOP-Critical and SOP-Strivings. Some study characteristics (ethnicity, language, mean age and standard deviation of the scores, psychometric vs applied) showed a statistical association with the reliability coefficients of SPP and SOP. The reliability induction rate was 29.8%.

LIMITATIONS

Due to the scarcity of studies, we could not examine the reliability scores of other versions of the CAPS and test-retest reliability.

CONCLUSIONS

In terms of reliability, the original version of the CAPS present better results than O'Connor's version. The original version of the CAPS is a reliable instrument to be employed with general research purposes, but not for clinical practice.

Measuring perfectionism in children: a systematic review of the mental health literature

The adverse consequences of perfectionism in the lives of youth (children and adolescents) are now widely recognised, including impact on mental health and general well-being. In order to develop interventions to prevent and treat perfectionism and promote resilience for children, rigorous testing and examination of theoretical models is needed as well as having access to valid and reliable assessment tools. The aim of the current literature review was to examine the validity and reliability of the measures currently being used to measure perfectionism in children under the age of 15. A systematic review of the literature identified six instruments that had been utilised in children. Preliminary support with respect to reliability and validity was established for each of these measures, and there was evidence supporting the existence of both perfectionistic striving and perfectionistic concerns in this population. However, many of the measures lacked evaluation of key psychometric properties by independent authors. Further work distinguishing adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism will be necessary to promote future interventions and treatment in this area.