Determining the mediating role of self-differentiation in the relationship between personality traits and perfectionism in students

The purpose of this study was to determine the mediating role of self-differentiation in the relationship between personality traits and perfectionism in students.

The purpose of this study was applied, descriptive and in terms of data collection, it was a descriptive correlational design and a path analysis method. The statistical population of the study was all students of Azad University of Science and Research Branch in the academic year 1397-98. The sample consisted of 300 students who were selected by cluster random sampling. Research instruments included the Frost Perfectionism Scale (1993), the Scorn and Friedlander Differentiation Scale (1998), and the McKerry and Costa Five-Factor Personality Questionnaire (1985). Data analysis was done by path analysis and Sobel test at the significant level of 0.05.

The results of data analysis showed that despite the indirect effect of agreeableness, openness to experience and conscientiousness on perfectionism was confirmed by differentiation. On the one hand, differentiation was influenced by personality traits and had a significant effect on perfectionism (P <0.005).

Given that high perfectionism plays a significant role in the development and persistence of individual problems, it can be acknowledged that personality traits influence perfectionism by considering the mediating role of differentiation.