Perfectionist thinking among young people ‘currently on the rise’

Younger generations may be damaging their mental health by adopting perfectionist mindsets, according to a new study.

Researchers from the University of Bath and York St John University analysed data from 41,641 US, Canadian and British college students who completed the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, a test for generational changes in perfectionism, from the late 1980s to 2016.

The results found increased numbers of people adopting three types of perfectionist thinking: self-oriented perfectionism (an irrational desire to be perfect), socially-prescribed perfectionism (perceived excessive expectations from others) and other-oriented perfectionism (placing unrealistic standards on others).

Between 1989 and 2016, more recent generations of college students scored ten percent higher on the first type, 33 percent higher in the second and 16 percent higher on the third.

This could be because of the societal pressure caused by social media, the drive to earn money, pressure to get a good education and a rise in meritocracy among millennials, according to the researchers.

Study leader Dr Thomas Curran of the University of Bath said: "Today's young people are competing with each other in order to meet societal pressures to succeed and they feel that perfectionism is necessary in order to feel safe, socially connected and of worth."

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