Self criticism, Strivings and Aggressive Behavior in Spanish Children: The Two Sides of Self Oriented Perfectionism
Abstract This study analyzes the relationship between the two intrapersonal perfectionism dimensions (i.e. Self Oriented Perfectionism Critical, SOP C, and Self Oriented Perfectionism Strivings, SOP S) and the components of aggressive behavior (cognitive, emotional and motor) in a sample of 804 (48.3% females) Spanish students between the ages of 8 and 11 (M 9.57; DE 1.12) The Spanish versions of the SOP C and SOP S subscales of the Child/Adolescent Perfectionism Scale and the Aggression Questionnaire were used. Students with high SOP C scored significantly higher (p .001) than their peers with low SOP C on all components of aggressive behavior. The magnitude of these differences (Cohen's d index) ranged from .40 to .59. In contrast, non significant statistical differences were found between students with high and low SOP S. Moreover, logistic regression analysis revealed that SOP C significantly and positively predicted high Hostility, Anger and Physical and Verbal Aggression, whereas none of these components were significantly predicted by SOP S (95% CI) Results are discussed, taking into account the debate on the conceptualization and nature of intrapersonal perfectionism.
The Spanish Journal of Psychology