The relationship between clinical perfectionism and nonsuicidal self-injury: The roles of experiential avoidance, self-esteem, and locus of control

Objectives: Perfectionism is linked to nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). Individuals with elevated perfectionism tend to avoid undesirable emotions and experience lower self-esteem, which are associated with NSSI. However, it is unclear if these mechanisms explain the link between clinical perfectioni...

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Main Authors: Duncan-Plummer, Thomas, Hasking, Penelope, Tonta, Kate, Boyes, Mark
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: 2023
Subjects:
Online Access:http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1173043
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/92823
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author Duncan-Plummer, Thomas
Hasking, Penelope
Tonta, Kate
Boyes, Mark
author_facet Duncan-Plummer, Thomas
Hasking, Penelope
Tonta, Kate
Boyes, Mark
author_sort Duncan-Plummer, Thomas
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Objectives: Perfectionism is linked to nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). Individuals with elevated perfectionism tend to avoid undesirable emotions and experience lower self-esteem, which are associated with NSSI. However, it is unclear if these mechanisms explain the link between clinical perfectionism and NSSI, and if locus of control is involved. We aimed to explore whether experiential avoidance and self-esteem would mediate the relationship between clinical perfectionism and NSSI, and if locus of control would moderate links between clinical perfectionism and both experiential avoidance and self-esteem. Method: As part of a larger study, 514 Australian university students (Mage = 21.15 years, SD = 2.40; 73.5% female) completed an online survey of NSSI, clinical perfectionism, experiential avoidance, self-esteem, and locus of control. Results: Clinical perfectionism was associated with NSSI history, but not with recent NSSI or past year NSSI frequency. Lower self-esteem, but not experiential avoidance, mediated links between clinical perfectionism and NSSI history, recent NSSI, and NSSI frequency. More external locus of control was associated with NSSI, experiential avoidance, and lower self-esteem, but locus of control did not moderate pathways between clinical perfectionism and experiential avoidance or self-esteem. Conclusion: University students reporting elevated clinical perfectionism may have a tendency to experience lower self-esteem which is associated with NSSI history, recency, and severity.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-928232023-07-26T03:14:10Z The relationship between clinical perfectionism and nonsuicidal self-injury: The roles of experiential avoidance, self-esteem, and locus of control Duncan-Plummer, Thomas Hasking, Penelope Tonta, Kate Boyes, Mark clinical perfectionism experiential avoidance locus of control nonsuicidal self-injury self-esteem Objectives: Perfectionism is linked to nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). Individuals with elevated perfectionism tend to avoid undesirable emotions and experience lower self-esteem, which are associated with NSSI. However, it is unclear if these mechanisms explain the link between clinical perfectionism and NSSI, and if locus of control is involved. We aimed to explore whether experiential avoidance and self-esteem would mediate the relationship between clinical perfectionism and NSSI, and if locus of control would moderate links between clinical perfectionism and both experiential avoidance and self-esteem. Method: As part of a larger study, 514 Australian university students (Mage = 21.15 years, SD = 2.40; 73.5% female) completed an online survey of NSSI, clinical perfectionism, experiential avoidance, self-esteem, and locus of control. Results: Clinical perfectionism was associated with NSSI history, but not with recent NSSI or past year NSSI frequency. Lower self-esteem, but not experiential avoidance, mediated links between clinical perfectionism and NSSI history, recent NSSI, and NSSI frequency. More external locus of control was associated with NSSI, experiential avoidance, and lower self-esteem, but locus of control did not moderate pathways between clinical perfectionism and experiential avoidance or self-esteem. Conclusion: University students reporting elevated clinical perfectionism may have a tendency to experience lower self-esteem which is associated with NSSI history, recency, and severity. 2023 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/92823 10.1002/jclp.23506 eng http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1173043 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ fulltext
spellingShingle clinical perfectionism
experiential avoidance
locus of control
nonsuicidal self-injury
self-esteem
Duncan-Plummer, Thomas
Hasking, Penelope
Tonta, Kate
Boyes, Mark
The relationship between clinical perfectionism and nonsuicidal self-injury: The roles of experiential avoidance, self-esteem, and locus of control
title The relationship between clinical perfectionism and nonsuicidal self-injury: The roles of experiential avoidance, self-esteem, and locus of control
title_full The relationship between clinical perfectionism and nonsuicidal self-injury: The roles of experiential avoidance, self-esteem, and locus of control
title_fullStr The relationship between clinical perfectionism and nonsuicidal self-injury: The roles of experiential avoidance, self-esteem, and locus of control
title_full_unstemmed The relationship between clinical perfectionism and nonsuicidal self-injury: The roles of experiential avoidance, self-esteem, and locus of control
title_short The relationship between clinical perfectionism and nonsuicidal self-injury: The roles of experiential avoidance, self-esteem, and locus of control
title_sort relationship between clinical perfectionism and nonsuicidal self-injury: the roles of experiential avoidance, self-esteem, and locus of control
topic clinical perfectionism
experiential avoidance
locus of control
nonsuicidal self-injury
self-esteem
url http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1173043
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/92823