Perfectionism and Dispositional Accommodative Efficacy: Predictors of Stress Responses

Abstract

PSY 4999 Honor Thesis, Advisor: Craig A. Smith & Ashley L. Watts In recent decades, extensive research has supported the association between perfectionism and stress responses, and one potential explanation for the mechanism underlying this association is the relational model of appraisal theory developed by Smith and Kirby (2009). In this theoretical model, another important dispositional characteristic, dispositional accommodative efficacy, was mentioned and suggested to have close relationships with both perfectionism and stress responses. However, neither dispositional accommodative efficacy nor the relational model has been sufficiently researched. Thus, this study systematically examined the impacts of dispositional accommodative efficacy and perfectionism on stress responses and proposed two models, the dual influence model and the full mediational model , to explain their relationships. The result showed that the evaluative concerns perfectionism positively predicted stress responses and dispositional accommodative efficacy negatively predicted stress responses, while the dimension of achievement striving did not significantly associate with stress responses. Since only a weak partial mediation effect of dispositional accommodative efficacy was found in the relationship between evaluative concerns and stress responses, we did not find strong evidence to support either model. This study supplemented the empirical evidence on how disposition influences emotional reactions.In recent decades, extensive research has supported the association between perfectionism and stress responses, and one potential explanation for the mechanism underlying this association is the relational model of appraisal theory developed by Smith and Kirby (2009). In this theoretical model, another important dispositional characteristic, dispositional accommodative efficacy, was mentioned and suggested to have close relationships with both perfectionism and stress responses. However, neither dispositional accommodative efficacy nor the relational model has been sufficiently researched. Thus, this study systematically examined the impacts of dispositional accommodative efficacy and perfectionism on stress responses and proposed two models, the dual influence model and the full mediational model , to explain their relationships. The result showed that the evaluative concerns perfectionism positively predicted stress responses and dispositional accommodative efficacy negatively predicted stress responses, while the dimension of achievement striving did not significantly associate with stress responses. Since only a weak partial mediation effect of dispositional accommodative efficacy was found in the relationship between evaluative concerns and stress responses, we did not find strong evidence to support either model. This study supplemented the empirical evidence on how disposition influences emotional reactions.Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Honors Program in Psychological Science