The Relationship between Perfectionism and Anger in Adolescents

As a contribution to the dimensional classification of mental disorders, which in the next edition of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) could dominate over the categorical, and in general, due to the impact of anger on the behavior of individuals in our society, it seems important to examine and analyze dimensions that represent risk factors for occurrence and development of anger disorders. Aim, to examine gender differences in the expression of the adaptive and maladaptive dimensions of perfectionism and anger (state and trait, as well as the anger expression and control) and to examine whether the dimensions of perfectionism are statistically significant predictors of anger.

This study included a total of 600 primary and secondary school students (305 girls and 295 boys), 12 to 18 years old. Data were collected using a Socio-demographic Features Questionnaire for general information onto the Adaptive/ Maladaptive Perfectionism Scale (AMPS), Child-Adolescent Perfectionism Scale (CAPS), and State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2 Child and Adolescent (STAXI-2 C/A).

Statistically significant gender differences were found in the expression of the adaptive and maladaptive dimensions of perfectionism and anger. For aspects of anger, girls have been found to control their anger more often than boys. Multiple regression analysis indicates the important contribution of the dimensions of perfectionism in the explanation of anger in adolescents.

Given the results obtained, our research represents a contribution to the definition of a dimensional diagnostic system to prevent comorbidity of mental disorders and provide more clinically relevant information about each individual. The instrument which is used to measure anger in this study (STAXI-2 C/A; Brunner & Spielberger 2009) was for the first time applied in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The results of this research are a contribution to its validation.