Difficulties in Accepting the Past as a Mediator between Perfectionism and Symptoms of Depression among University...

Objective: The Existential Model of Perfectionism and Depressive Symptoms (EMPDS) assumes that difficulties in accepting the past explains why socially prescribed perfectionism (SPP) is linked to depressive symptoms. Prior research on EMPDS relies on homogeneous samples and cross-sectional designs, limiting our understanding of EMPDS. More importantly, SPP may be affected by different cultural norms, and no study to date has examined this model in Iran. This study aimed to test EMPDS in Iran using a moderated mediation framework, a heterogeneous sample, and a longitudinal design with two waves. Method : This study used a two-wave longitudinal design in a diverse sample of unmarried undergraduate and graduate Iranian students (N = 251; 117 men and 134 women) studying at universities in Yazd province. We collected the data in February and March 2023. The analysis was moderated mediation analysis. In the first wave, a link to the survey was distributed, which included demographic questions, the SPP scale, and baseline measure of depressive symptoms. One month later, participants who had completed wave 1 were recontacted to complete the Difficulties in Accepting the Past questionnaire and depressive symptoms scale. Results: SPP predicted depressive symptoms through difficulties in accepting the past (b = 0.64, SE = 0.09, 95% CI = [0.46; 0.83]), and depressive symptoms were also linked to past acceptance (b = 0.35, SE = 0.05, 95% CI = [0.25; 0.45]). A bootstrapping analysis confirmed a significant mediation effect (b = 0.72, 95% CI = [0.27; 2.53]). However, the interaction between SPP and acceptance of the past was not significant (b = -0.007, SE = 0.006, 95% CI = [-0.017; 0.007]). Conclusion: These findings suggest that psychotherapists treating clients with SPP should consider interventions facilitating meaning-making and acceptance of the past. The study also highlights the importance of accounting for cultural influences when applying EMPDS.