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Perfectionism increases among Chinese college students: a cross-temporal meta-analysis
1School of Human Resources, Guangdong University of Finance & Economics, Guangzhou, China.
BMC Psychology
|July 14, 2026
Summary
China's rapid modernization correlates with increased perfectionism in college students. This trend, particularly concerning mistakes and doubts, is linked to economic growth and urbanization.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Economics
Background:
- China's WTO accession spurred modernization, economic growth, and societal change.
- Increased interpersonal competition is a noted consequence of this rapid development.
- The link between modernization and perfectionism in Chinese college students remains under-explored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate trends in perfectionism among mainland Chinese college students from 2002 to 2022.
- To examine the relationship between modernization indicators and perfectionism levels.
- To provide empirical evidence for psychological interventions and policy formulation.
Main Methods:
- Cross-temporal meta-analytic approach.
- Synthesized 355 effect sizes from 74 studies (N=37,279) sourced from CNKI, Wanfang, Web of Science, and Scopus.
- Analyzed perfectionism trends and correlations with modernization indicators.
Main Results:
- A statistically significant upward trend in overall perfectionism (assessed by the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale - FMPS) was observed.
- Significant increases were found in perfectionism dimensions: concern over mistakes and doubts about actions.
- Higher divorce rates, per capita GDP, and urbanization rates positively correlated with perfectionism; family size showed a negative correlation.
Conclusions:
- China's rapid modernization is associated with rising perfectionism among college students.
- Specific modernization factors significantly influence perfectionism levels.
- Findings offer valuable insights for psychological support and policy development in evolving societal contexts.
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