title: Perfectionistic concerns predict increases in adolescents' anxiety symptoms: a three-wave longitudinal study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although perfectionism has been proposed to be a risk factor for the development of anxiety, research on perfectionism and anxiety symptoms in adolescents is scarce and inconclusive. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the two higher-order dimensions of perfectionism - perfectionistic strivings and perfectionistic concerns - predict the development and maintenance of anxiety symptoms. An additional aim of the present study was to examine potential reciprocal effects of anxiety symptoms predicting increases in perfectionism.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study used a longitudinal design with three waves spaced 4-5 months apart.
  
  
  METHODS
  A non-clinical sample of 489 adolescents aged 12-19 years completed a paper-and-pencil questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  As expected, results showed a positive effect from perfectionistic concerns to anxiety symptoms, but the effect was restricted to middle-to-late adolescents (16-19 years old): Perfectionistic concerns predicted longitudinal increases in adolescents' anxiety symptoms, whereas perfectionistic strivings did not. Furthermore, anxiety symptoms did not predict increases in perfectionism.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Implications for the understanding of the relationship between perfectionism and anxiety symptoms are discussed.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , Babeş-Bolyai University , Cluj-Napoca , Romania.
authors.forename: Lavinia E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Damian
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , Babeş-Bolyai University , Cluj-Napoca , Romania.
authors.forename: Oana
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Negru-Subtirica
authors.affiliation: b School of Psychology , University of Kent , Canterbury , UK.
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stoeber
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , Babeş-Bolyai University , Cluj-Napoca , Romania.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Băban
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D000072639:Perfectionism; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011581:Psychological Tests; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Perfectionism; adolescents; anxiety symptoms; longitudinal data