A BRIEF MINDFULNESS INTERVENTION ON PERFECTIONISTIC STUDENTS

Abstract

Maladaptive perfectionism has been found to contribute to academic stress of students. Additionally, brief mindfulness interventions were suggested to alleviate such distress. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a brief mindfulness intervention in protecting students high on maladaptive perfectionism against distress during oral presentations. Undergraduate students (N = 122) from a Singapore university were recruited, and were randomly assigned into the control and mindfulness intervention group before engaging in a stimulated public speaking task. Participants’ levels of maladaptive perfectionism were assessed via subscales of the Almost Perfect Scale-Revised (APS-R) and Big Three Perfectionism Scale (BTPS). Public speaking anxiety was assessed via the Speech Anxiety Thoughts Inventory (SATI) and Personal Report of Public Speaking Anxiety (PRPSA). Scores on negative affect and mindfulness were also collected. Results suggested that while the intervention successfully increased state mindfulness, this did not protect against distress. However, moderation analysis seems to provide conditional support for the intervention when maladaptive perfectionism was controlled for. The study also highlighted the prevalence of maladaptive perfectionism within the student population, and the possible benefits of brief mindfulness intervention for university students. Limitations, contributions and directions for future research were discussed.