Perfectionism as a Way of Coping with Anxiety

The present diploma paper thesis is devoted to the study of relationship between the concepts of “anxiety”, “perfectionism” and “coping strategy”. The following main problem is considered - how to cope with the growing feeling of anxiety and at the same time be happy and successful? Is it possible to reduce anxiety with the help of coping strategies and which of these coping strategies are inherent in pathological perfectionism and which ones - in normal perfectionism. To solve these problems, an empirical study was carried out based on a combination of three methods: a brief differential test of perfectionism (AA Zolotoreva), Spielberger questionnaire (Personal anxiety scale), cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire (adaptation O. L. Pisareva, A. Gritsenko) . The study revealed that strategies of focusing on experience are characteristic of normal perfectionism. For pathoperfectionism - self-incrimination, consider oneself a perfectionist and disaster strategy. The conducted correlation analysis, helped to find out that a strategy of focusing on experience can significantly reduce the level of anxiety, and this strategy is characteristic of normal perfectionism. Аpplication of the chosen methods for diagnostics showed that the strategies of accepting, removing and focusing on feelings are neutral in relation to indicators of the level of personal anxiety, normal and pathological perfectionism, as well as in relation to the feeling of guilt. Research results suggest that the development of a strategy of acceptance among pathoperfectionists and people with a high level of internal anxiety will help to switch them to a strategy of focusing on experience, which allows reducing the level of personal anxiety.