Manic-depressive tendencies, suicidality, and perfectionism.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Mental Health Research
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Perfectionism is a personality trait characterized by setting excessively high standards.
• Imposter phenomenon involves feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt despite evidence of success.
• Both traits are increasingly recognized as potential contributors to psychological distress in academic settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between perfectionism, imposter scores, and mental health indicators in college students.
• To determine if manic symptoms are associated with perfectionism and imposter scores.
• To explore the specific association between depression and these psychological constructs.

Main Methods:

• A sample of 82 college students was assessed.
• Standardized questionnaires were used to measure depression, mania, perfectionism, and imposter scores.
• Correlational analyses were performed to examine associations between variables.

Main Results:

• A significant association was found between higher perfectionism scores and higher depression scores.
• Imposter scores were also significantly correlated with increased depression scores.
• No significant association was observed between manic scores and either perfectionism or imposter scores.

Conclusions:

• Perfectionism and imposter phenomenon are linked to depression in college students.
• These findings suggest that interventions targeting perfectionism and imposter feelings may help mitigate depression in this population.
• Further research is warranted to explore the nuances of these relationships and potential causal pathways.