An investigation of the role of behavioral-brain systems and perceived parenting styles in Students’ perfectionism

Background and Objective: Research evidence show that specific parenting styles are as risk factors in evolution of maladaptive perfectionism in students. On the other hand, perfectionism is affected by biological motivational personality systems. This study investigated the role of behavioral-brain systems and perceived parenting styles in Students’ perfectionism.

Materials and Methods: The method of study was causal-comparison that performed on 180 subjects selected with multi stage random cluster sampling among Payam Nour University’ students. Subjects were responded the Behavioral Activation and Behavioral Inhibition System, parenting style questionnaire and multidimensional perfectionism scale. Data were analyzed with regression analysis and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA).

Results Findings indicate that children of authoritative parents had higher levels of self-oriented perfectionism than those of authoritarian parents. Children of authoritarian parents had higher levels of other and socially prescribed perfectionism than those of authoritative parents. Also, behavioral activation system (BAS) predicted self-oriented perfectionism and behavioral inhibition system (BIS) in first step and BAS in next step predicted socially prescribed perfectionism.

Conclusion Findings indicate the importance of investigating broad models that include both personality and family factors as predictors of perfectionism. The present findings could be used to develop effective prevention and therapeutic strategies for children who are at-risk for or who demonstrate maladaptive perfectionism.