Profiles of Perfectionistic Automatic Thoughts and Aggression.
María P Aparicio-Flores1, María Vicent2, Roberto O Freire-Andino3
1General and Specific Didactics Department, University of Alicante, Spain.
Psychological Reports
|January 27, 2022
Summary
Perfectionistic automatic thoughts (PAT) are linked to increased aggressive behavior. Individuals with moderate to high PAT profiles reported higher levels of anger, hostility, and verbal and physical aggression compared to those with low or no PAT.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Perfectionistic automatic thoughts (PAT) are increasingly studied due to their association with psychological disorders.
- No prior research has examined the link between PAT and the components of aggressive behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify distinct profiles of PAT in Ecuadorian undergraduates.
- To investigate differences in aggressive behavior components across these PAT profiles.
Main Methods:
- Latent Class Analysis was used to identify PAT profiles.
- Data were collected from 3060 Ecuadorian undergraduates using the Perfectionism Cognitions Inventory (PCI) and Aggression Questionnaire (AQ).
Main Results:
- Five PAT profiles were identified: No-PAT, Low PAT, High Perfectionistic Demands, Moderate PAT, and High PAT.
- Moderate and High PAT profiles showed significantly higher scores across all four components of aggressive behavior (anger, hostility, verbal aggression, physical aggression).
Conclusions:
- This study reveals a positive relationship between perfectionistic automatic thoughts and aggressive behavior.
- Findings highlight the importance of considering PAT in understanding and addressing aggressive behavior, particularly in the Ecuadorian context.
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