Although the relationship between stress and anxiety symptoms is well
established, there has been little information regarding the role perfectionism may play as a mediator of this relationship. Upon further testing, the findings in the present study provide support for the model that perfectionism mediates the relationship between stress and anxiety, thus supporting the primary hypothesis. This suggests that the perception of
Perfectionism R²= .07
.26** .28**
.62** Anxiety
R²= .40 Stress
(.07)
stress through the trait of perfectionism leads to anxiety symptoms. The result is
consistent with previous findings showing correlation between the constructs of interest, and it underscores the strong influence stress has on the livelihood of students.
Many life changes occur during college. The probability of experiencing stress is extremely high within the college population, and the potential symptoms are diverse.
37 Many life changes occur during college. The probability of experiencing stress is Since a common response to a stressful life event is a sensation of nervousness, it is obvious why a significant positive correlation existed between stress and anxiety. Furthermore, since individuals perceive and experience stress differently because of characteristic or innate differences, it is no surprise that perfectionism too was shown to be significantly
correlated in this sample.
Limitations
Although results from this study can contribute to the literature, some limitations need to be noted. First, measures of all the constructs (stress, anxiety and perfectionism) were assessed using self-report measures. Likert-type items used in each scale could be subject to response biases because of their subjective nature. Moreover, since individuals may adopt different standards when evaluating themselves, a multimodal assessment of stress, anxiety, and perfectionism using physiological indices and behavioral tasks would significantly contribute to the validity of self-report measures. Rather than relying solely on self-report data, researchers can provide participants with a task intended to provoke stress, and with this technique, physiological symptoms of stress such as increased heart
rate, respiration rate, blood pressure, and galvanic skin response (GSR) can be directly observed and assessed.
Second, selection bias of the college sample is a limitation, as the majority of participants completed the study in exchange for course credit in psychology. Although this is a university student population-based study, the 150 participants obtained may not be representative of college students in the United States as a whole or even the
University of Mississippi campus in its entirety. The sample is in line with demographics 38 be representative of college students in the United States as a whole or even the at the University of Mississippi, but the use of a more ethnically and demographically diverse sample would be especially beneficial in future studies in order to best reflect the relationship between stress, anxiety, and perfectionism among college students.
A final limitation of the present study comes from the cross-sectional study design. Although this is a snapshot of current functioning of the student, having a longitudinal assessment of students’ stress, anxiety, and perfectionistic tendencies could provide more information and potential for suggesting causality.
Future Research
Despite these limitations, the present study is the first to examine the relationship between the constructs of stress and anxiety in college students with perfectionism as its mediator. In future studies, it would be important to consider year in school, hours enrolled, and field of study to better understand which students are more prone to experience stress. Likewise, it is possible that participants had very different definitions of and experiences with stress, so it would be favorable to lessen the variance by use of
situational, open-ended questions and by providing the exact definition of stress used for the present study. Exploring the behavior of procrastination and its effect on stress in college students would also be valuable in future studies. An individual whom is perfectionistic in nature is likely to fear failure. This fear complex may cause
perfectionists to put off tasks until the last minute, thus potentially increasing the stress associated with perfecting a project in a limited timeframe. Approaching deadlines are rampant in a college setting, so students are particularly at risk for procrastinating and then becoming overwhelmed by academic workloads. Additionally, it would be
39 rampant in a college setting, so students are particularly at risk for procrastinating and intriguing and useful to examine the relationship of personality type with the constructs of stress and anxiety. Some metal health professionals think personality constructs may play a significant role in how one perceives stress, dependent on traits associated with Type A or Type B personalities. An individual’s characteristic way of behaving, feeling, and thinking may be a strong predictor of stress experienced and could account for the likelihood of perfectionistic, anxiety, and procrastination tendencies in students. In an effort to pinpoint componentsproponents of stress in college students, it is essential to continue with research in this field of study by building from current literature.
Conclusion
In summary, the purpose of this study was to assess individual factors that may be related to the experience of stress in college students. Specifically, the current study investigated the relationship between stress, perfectionism, and anxiety. It was
hypothesized that the three constructs of interest would be significantly associated and
that the relationship between stress and anxiety symptoms would be mediated by
perfectionism. A significant positive correlation was indeed found between perfectionism and both stress and anxiety symptoms. The mediation model used contributes to previous literature regarding stress among students. Findings further support literature suggesting that stress as a construct plays a unique role in a student’s mental and physical state of arousal. The current study contributes information regarding the need to recognize, inhibit, and ultimately end the potential long-lasting negative effects of stress among college students. Results from the current study indicate future research examining the college students. Results from the current study indicate future research examining the worldwide epidemic of stress is essential in a college population.
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