Frustration intolerance and unconditional self-acceptance as mediators of the relationship between perfectionism and depression

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to further clarify the basic mechanism through which maladaptive perfectionism leads to depression, using the rational-emotive behavior therapy (REBT) framework. Previous studies have shown that depression is not associated with high personal standards, but rather with the tendency to evaluate one’s self-worth based on the attainment of these standards, i.e. conditional self-acceptance. The goal of this study was to investigate for the first time the mediating role of frustration intolerance beliefs in this relationship, beyond and above the contribution of unconditional self-acceptance (USA) beliefs. The sample consisted of 321 undergraduate students. Consistent with REBT theory, the structural equation modeling showed that both frustration intolerance and USA mediated the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and dysphoria, with frustration intolerance beliefs being the stronger mediator. There was no evidence that maladaptive perfectionism influenced dysphoria independently of its effect on frustration intolerance and USA.

Keywords

• perfectionism
• depression
• frustration intolerance
• unconditional self acceptance