Perfectionism and emotional intelligence: A test of the 2 × 2 model of perfectionism

•The 2 × 2 model of perfectionism and emotional intelligence (EI) were examined.•Personal standards (PS) were positively associated with all EI aspects.•Evaluative concerns (EC) were negatively associated with most EI aspects.•Pure PS perfectionism fared best followed by mixed and non-perfectionism.•Pure EC perfectionism showed the lowest levels of EI.

The current study tested the interactive and main effects of two key aspects of perfectionism - personal standards and evaluative concerns - on emotional intelligence (EI) based on the 2 × 2 model of perfectionism (Gaudreau, 2012). Data were collected online from 386 undergraduates and moderated regression analyses revealed that personal standards were positively associated with all aspects of EI, whereas concern over mistakes was negatively associated with all aspects of EI except utilization of emotions for problem solving (UEPS). Interactions between personal standards and evaluative concerns were not significant. According to Gaudreau's (2012) recommendations, we differentiated four perfectionism subtypes: pure personal standards perfectionism (PSP), non-perfectionism, mixed perfectionism, and pure evaluative concerns perfectionism (ECP) and calculated their predicted scores for EI aspects. Results supported the four hypotheses of the 2 × 2 model of perfectionism (Gaudreau, 2012) for emotion self-regulation (ERS), appraisal of emotions of others (AEO), appraisal of self-emotions (AES), and partially supported the 2 × 2 model for utilization of emotions for problem solving (UEPS). Our results are interpreted in light of the Perfectionism Social Disconnection model of Hewitt and colleagues (Hewitt, Flett, Sherry, & Caelian, 2006).