The moderating effect of positive perfectionism on anxiety and depression

Objective To investigate the impact of negative perfectionism on negative emotion(anxiety, depression)and the moderating effects of positive perfectionism. Methods A study was designed and a sample of 380 college students completed questionnaires including PANPS, SAS and SDS. Results ① Correlation analysis indicated positive perfectionism was negatively correlated with anxiety and depression (r1=-0.25, P1<0.01, r2=-0.29, P2<0.01), while negative perfectionism was positively correlated with anxiety and depression(r1=0.26, P1<0.01, r2=0.22, P2<0.01). ② Moderating effects analysis indicated that positive perfectionism significantly moderated the regulating effect of negative perfectionism upon negative emotions(anxiety, depression)(β1=-2.64, β2=-7.67, P<0.01). Conclusion These findings suggest that the higher level of positive perfectionism, the greater influence of perfectionism on depression and anxiety, and positive perfectionism could buffer the negative perfectionism on anxiety and depression. Key words: Positive perfectionism; Negative perfectionism; Anxiety; Depression; Regulation