Title
Perfectionism in African American Students: Relationship to Racial Identity, GPA, Self-Esteem and Depression
Department/School
Psychology, Professional
Date of this version
2012
Document Type
Article
Abstract
This study examined 219 African American college students at predominantly White universities using the constructs of perfectionism, academic achievement, self-esteem, depression, and racial identity. Cluster analysis was performed using the Almost Perfect Scale—Revised (APS-R), which yielded three clusters that represented adaptive perfectionists, maladaptive perfectionists, and nonperfectionists. These three groups were compared on their scores on the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D), the Cross Racial Identity Scale (CRIS), and Grade Point Average (GPA). Adaptive perfectionists reported higher self-esteem and lower depression scores than both the nonperfectionists and maladaptive perfectionists. Adaptive perfectionists had higher GPAs than nonperfectionists. On the racial identity scales, maladaptive perfectionists had higher scores on Pre-Encounter Self Hatred and Immersion-Emersion Anti-White subscales than adaptive perfectionists. The cultural and counseling implications of this study are discussed and integrated. Finally, recommendations are made for future studies of African American college students and perfectionism.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1037/1099-9809.14.2.163
Volume
18
Issue
2
Published in
Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology
Citation/Other Information
Elion A. A., Wang, K. T., Slaney, R. B. & French, B. H. (2012). Perfectionism in African American Students: Relationship to Racial Identity, GPA, Self-Esteem and Depression. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 18(2), 118-127. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0026491