The relation of behavioral inhibition and perceived parenting to maladaptive perfectionism in college students

Maladaptive perfectionism has the potential to undermine physical and psychological health (Enns, Cox, Sareen, & Freeman, 2001). The current investigation focused on the characteristics that put individuals at-risk of maladaptive perfectionism. We investigated the relation of parenting (autonomy granting, warmth, and supervision) and personality (BIS/BAS) to maladaptive perfectionism among college students. Findings indicate that BIS was positively related to maladaptive perfectionism and parental autonomy granting was negatively related to maladaptive perfectionism. Interestingly, we observed an interaction such that among individuals with high BIS, maladaptive perfectionism was predicted by BIS (β = .26) and autonomy granting (β = −.26). By contrast, for individuals with low BIS, maladaptive perfectionism was predicted only by parental autonomy granting (β = −.42). Findings indicate the importance of investigating broad models that include both personality and family factors as predictors of perfectionism.