The relationships among perfectionism, self criticism and identity styles in Turkish university students

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to study the relationships among two dysfunctional forms of negative self-evaluation (comparative self-criticism and internalized self-criticism), adaptive perfectionism (high standards and orderliness), maladaptive perfectionism (discrepancy) and identity styles of first year university students. 196 university students completed The Levels of Self-Criticism (LOSC, Thompson and Zuroff, 2002).), the Almost Perfect Scale-Revised (APS-R; Slaney et al., 2001) and the revised Identity Style Inventory (ISI-3; Berzonsky, 1992). Expectedly, regression analyses showed that information-orientation identity style was positively predicted by high standards and internalized self-criticism. Normative-orientation identity style was positively predicted by order but unexpectedly, it was also predicted positively by high standards. Diffuse-avoidant identity style was negatively predicted by order and it was positively predicted by comparative self-criticism. In line with expectations, commitment was positively predicted by high standards and it was negatively predicted by discrepancy. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.