Work

Perfectionism Mediates the Relationship Between Parental Expectations and Adolescent Depressive Symptoms

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: A significant body of research worldwide has examined how parents who set high expectations may increase adolescents' risk of developing perfectionistic traits. However, studies exploring this relationship in the Global South are almost nonexistent. This study investigated how adolescents perceived parental expectations related to perfectionism and depressive symptoms among Nigerian adolescents. Participants completed the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (FMPS), the Living Up to Parental Expectation Scale-Academic (LPE), and Beck's Depression Inventory. Parental academic expectations were positively associated with personal standards and concern over mistakes, but parental expectations were negatively associated with depressive symptoms. Further analysis revealed that personal standards fully mediated the negative relationship between parental academic expectations on adolescents' depressive symptoms. In contrast, concern over mistakes partially mediated the relationship between parental academic expectations and depressive symptoms. In contrast to previous research, parental academic expectations were associated with fewer depressive symptoms among Nigerian adolescents through indirect relationships with perfectionistic traits.

Source: Behavioral Sciences

DOI: 10.3390/bs16010125

Authors: Tolulope S. Aworefa, Kathryn L. Fletcher

Institution: Ball State University

Language: English

Topic: Perfectionism, Procrastination, Anxiety Studies

Subfield: Clinical Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,654