Relationship Between Perfectionism and Depression Among Chinese College Students With Self-Esteem as a Mediator

Objectives This study is designed to examine the mediating role of self-esteem (SE) in the relationship between perfectionism and depression among a nonclinical sample of 918 Chinese college students. Methods Participants completed a questionnaire battery that included measures of perfectionism (Almost Perfect Scale-Revised), depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression), and self-esteem (The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale). Results The results showed that maladaptive perfectionism significantly and positively predicted depression, while adaptive perfectionism and self-esteem negatively predicted depression. More importantly, self-esteem partially mediated the prediction of depression from both adaptive perfectionism and maladaptive perfectionism. Conclusion Self-esteem was a significant mediator on the relationship between perfectionism and depression. Elevating student self-esteem may be a way of reducing depression, particularly among maladaptive perfectionists.