title: Perfectionism, ego defense styles, and depression: a comparison of self-reports versus informant ratings.
abstract: The present study examined the associations among perfectionism, defense styles, and depression in an Israeli community sample of young adults. This study involved a comparison of self-reports and informant ratings on all measures. A community sample of 210 pairs of same-sex best friends from Israel completed the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, the Defense Styles Questionnaire - 40, and a depression measure. Analyses confirmed that socially prescribed perfectionism is associated with depression, not only in terms of self-reports but also in terms of informant ratings. In addition, informant ratings revealed a link between other-oriented perfectionism and depression. Both self-reports and informant ratings also indicated that socially prescribed perfectionism is associated with immature defense styles and neurotic defense styles. Further simultaneous Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analyses of self-reports and informant ratings showed that maladaptive defense styles mediate the link between socially prescribed perfectionism and depression. The practical and theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Gordon L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Flett
authors.forename: Avi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Besser
authors.forename: Paul L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Hewitt
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D004532:Ego; D006801:Humans; D015588:Observer Variation; D010551:Personality; D012647:Self-Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires