Obsession with perfection rises by more than a third

The obsession with perfection amongst young people has risen by more 30 per cent over the last three decades, a study has found.

They are also 33 per cent more likely to believe that their environment is excessively demanding and that others judge them harshly, according to analysis of data from more than 40,000 British, Canadian and American university students from 1989 to 2017.

The research, carried out by the University of Bath and York St John University, found that the extent to which young people attach an irrational importance on being perfect, hold unrealistic expectations of themselves and are highly self-critical has increased by 10 per cent when compared to previous generations.

The authors suggested their findings point to the impact of three decades of neoliberalism forcing young people to compete against one another.

Lead author Dr Thomas Curran from the University of Bath's Department for Health said he hoped organisations responsible for safeguarding the welfare of young people, such as schools and universities, and policymakers who shape the environments in which these organisations operate, would "resist the promotion of competitiveness at the expense of young people's psychological health".

He said: "Rising rates of perfectionism highlighted in this study coincide with three decades of neoliberalism, which has compelled young people to compete against each other within increasingly demanding social and economic parameters."

The study also found the extent to which young people impose unrealistic standards on those around them and evaluate others critically has increased by 16 per cent.

The researches defined perfectionism as a combination of excessively high personal standards and overly harsh self-criticism, which they say can lead to psychological difficulties.

Co-author Dr Andrew Hill of York St John University added: "The increase in mental health difficulties among young people makes for a compelling backdrop for our findings.

"It may be that higher levels of perfectionism is a key contributing factor to such difficulties.

"Young people are trying to find ways to cope with a sense of increasing demands being placed on them and they are responding by becoming more perfectionistic towards themselves and others."

Previous work from the research team looked at the growing relationship between perfection and burnout.

The study, Perfectionism Among Young People Significantly Increased Since 1980s, Study Finds, is published in the US journal Psychological Bulletin.