1786 – Perfectionism, Self Esteem And Depression In a Portuguese Sample Of Adolescents

Abstract

Introduction

In adolescents, Socially Prescribed Perfectionism/SPP has been consistently associated with depression. Findings on Self-Oriented-Perfectionism/SOP and depression are equivocal. Self esteem/SE has been found to play a significant role between SPP and depression.

Objective

To analyse the relationship between perfectionism, SE and depression in a Portuguese adolescents sample.

Method

963 adolescents (59.2% girls), aged 15.80 ± 1.510 answered the Portuguese versions of the Children Depression Inventory/CDI, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and Child and Adolescent Perfectionism Scale.

Results

CDI and SE mean scores were significantly different between genders (CDI-Girls:10.84 ± 6.025 vs. Boys:8.90 ± 6.477; SE- Girls:20.11 ± 4.953 vs. Boys:20.48 ± 4.856; p < .001). SOP was not significantly correlated with CDI and SE in both genders. In both genders SPP was positive correlated with CDI and negatively correlated with RSES (r = .20, p < .01). RSES was negative correlated with CDI (Girls, r = -.70; Boys, r = -.63; p < .01). Girls with high SPP (>M+1SD) had CDI total mean scores significantly higher than girls with low SPP ( < M-1SD) (12.61 ± 6.79 vs9.75 ± 5.24, p=.003). Gils and boys with high SE vs. low SE had significantly higher CDI total mean scores (Girls:18.49 ± 5.98 vs. 4.91 ± 3.05; Boys:17.02 ± 7.65 vs.5.80 ± 5.62; p < .001). Linear regression showed that the model composed by SPP and RSES explained 49.5% of the CDI variance in girls and 40.0% in boys (p < .001). In both genders, SPP and SE were significant CDI predictors (p < .05). The mediation analysis revealed that in the Girls sub-sample SE partially mediated the relationship between SPP and CDI (IC 95% .036-.126).

Conclusions

High SPP and low SE are associated with depression in adolescence.