Does Birth Order and Academic Proficiency Influence Perfectionistic Self-presentation Among Undergraduate Engineering Students? A Descriptive Analysis.
BACKGROUND
Perfectionism is a multifaceted concept. It had both advantages and disadvantages. Perfectionistic traits have been associated with leadership and very intellectual people. The present study is an attempt to understand if engineering students possess perfectionistic orientation and whether it influences self-efficacy, social connectedness, and achievement motivation.


METHODS
The present study adopts a random sampling design to evaluate the presence of perfectionism as a personality trait among undergraduate engineering students (N= 320). Standardized inventories such as Almost Perfect Scale-Revised were administered first to identify perfectionists and second to differentiate the adaptive from the maladaptive perfectionists. Scheduled interviews were conducted with students to obtain information regarding birth order and family functioning.


RESULTS
Findings from the study reveal that there were a significant number of maladaptive perfectionists and that they experienced higher levels of personal and societal demands leading to a negative emotional well-being in comparison to the adaptive perfectionists. We also observed that first-born children were more likely to display a perfectionistic self-presentation and from scheduled interviews, we understood that paternal influences were stronger when it came to decision-making and display of conscientiousness.


CONCLUSIONS
The study draws on important implications for helping students to understand perfectionism and to respond to demands of the family and societal subsystems in a positive and an adaptive manner.
Senior Demonstrator in Psychology, Department of Behavioral Sciences, College of Nursing, CMC Hospital, Vellore - 632 014, Tamil Nadu, India.
Preeti Tabitha
PT
Louis
School of Social Sciences and Languages, VIT University, Vellore - 632 014, Tamil Nadu, India.
Navin
N
Kumar
Adaptive; coping; engineering; perfectionism; personality