A meta-analysis of parental multidimensional perfectionism and child psychological outcomes

Lilley, Catherine; Sirois, Fuschia; Rowse, Georgina

Abstract

Multidimensional perfectionism is a vulnerability factor for poor individual psychological well-being. Less is known about how parental perfectionism is associated with risk for poor child psychological outcomes. The aim of the current meta-analysis was to summarise the nature and magnitude of the association between dimensions of parental perfectionism (perfectionistic concerns; PC or perfectionistic strivings; PS) and child psychological outcomes. Fourteen studies (N = 2721) met inclusion criteria. The random effects meta-analysis revealed a small, significant, and positive average association between parental PC and child distress when unadjusted, ravg = 0.153, CI [0.08, 0.22], and when accounting for the contributions of parental PS, ravg = 0.164, CI [0.08, 0.25]. Moderation analysis of the unadjusted effects found that they varied as a function of the perfectionism scale used, but were robust to differences in parent and child gender. For parental PS, there was a non-significant negative average association with child distress, ravg = −0.049, CI [−0.13, 0.04], which was significant after accounting for the contributions of parental PC, ravg = −0.084, CI [−0.15, −0.02]. The current findings suggest that the differential links of perfectionism dimensions with psychological well-being extend to the parent-child relationship, and that parental PC creates vulnerability for child distress.

Citation

Lilley, C., Sirois, F., & Rowse, G. (2020). A meta-analysis of parental multidimensional perfectionism and child psychological outcomes. Personality and Individual Differences, 162, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2020.110015

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Apr 20, 2020
• Publication Date: Aug 1, 2020
• Deposit Date: Jul 4, 2022
• Journal: Personality and Individual Differences
• Print ISSN: 0191-8869
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Volume: 162
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2020.110015
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1202145