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http://dx.doi.org/10.6115/khea.2012.50.5.001

Mediating Effects of Pessimism on the Relationship between Socially Prescribed Perfectionism and Emotional Problems in Children  

Chyung, Yun-Joo (Department of Consumer & Child Studies, University of Incheon)
Publication Information
Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association / v.50, no.5, 2012 , pp. 1-12 More about this Journal
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to examine: (1) the relationships among socially prescribed perfectionism, pessimism, and emotional problems represented by levels of depression and anxiety in children; and (2) whether or not pessimism mediates the relationship between children's socially prescribed perfectionism and emotional problems. 441 fifth and sixth graders residing in the national capital region participated in the study. Their data were collected with self-reported questionnaires in school class settings. Descriptive statistics and Pearson's product correlation coefficients were obtained using SPSS (version 18.0), and tests of the mediation were performed using SEM with AMOS (version 20). Significant correlations between children's socially prescribed perfectionism, pessimism, and emotional problems exist. Also, pessimism appears to partially mediate the relationship between children's socially prescribed perfectionism and emotional problems. These results seem to indicate that mitigating pessimism could reduce the possibility of experiencing emotional problems, such as depression and anxiety, in children who have strong beliefs to live up to the high standards, set unrealistically by others.
Keywords
socially prescribed perfectionism; pessimism; emotional problems;
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