Neurotic perfectionism in gifted individuals
Dr. Hamed Al-Sahou
Talent
3
Contemporary societies strive to support and develop the skills of gifted individuals. Nurturing outstanding individuals and developing their capabilities is a successful investment that contributes to achieving sustainability and developing society. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the “King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity”, plays a prominent role in enhancing these efforts through its uniqueness in developing the minds of young people and harnessing their creative talents. The Foundation has paid great attention to understanding the characteristics of gifted students in order to provide distinguished educational services and reduce the obstacles they may face during their educational journey.
One of the most prominent traits that are evident in gifted students is the tendency towards perfectionism, which represents an important topic that deserves to be devoted to extensive and in-depth studies. In this article, we cannot help but shed light on neurotic perfectionism by presenting the most important points, starting with analyzing its concept and causes, all the way to the challenges and effects that can arise as a result of this trait, so that we can address the most important effective strategies for dealing with these effects on the individual, family and educational levels, with the aim of providing valuable and practical guidance for those concerned with caring for gifted students.
Perfectionism
Perfectionism is a psychological trait characterized by an individual's desire to excel and achieve outstanding performance free of deficiency, even in the smallest details. Individuals who possess this trait are characterized by a strong commitment to the task, and they constantly strive to improve their performance and develop their skills. The trait of perfectionism is characterized by several positive aspects that contribute to achieving success in various areas of life, such as high analytical and organizational skills. The perfectionist can accurately analyze dilemmas and carefully understand details. He also shows great patience and the ability to focus to solve difficult challenges. In addition, he is characterized by advanced organizational skills, as he can clearly define goals and develop solid action plans to achieve these goals. However, perfectionism can be a hindrance if supported incorrectly, and individuals with this trait can be exposed to severe psychological and physical stress due to the pressure they impose on themselves to achieve perfection.
The concept of perfectionism has occupied the attention of specialists, although there have been many studies from the sixties to the present time; however, there is still a scientific debate among specialists about the nature of perfectionism. Some specialists may see perfectionism as a trait or personality trait and not a characteristic, as it is not affected by social upbringing factors or external variables surrounding the gifted person. Personality traits are described as stable based on the results of some studies that indicate that the perfectionist longs for perfection in everything. There are also studies that state that perfectionism is a trait linked to genetic factors by more than 41% (eg, Iranzo-Tatay et al., 2015). Bouchard and McGue's study also found that perfectionism is linked to the five personality factors (Bouchard & McGue, 2003).
On the other hand, others insist that perfectionism is an adaptive trait acquired due to the talent being affected by upbringing factors and surrounding variables that either enhance or inhibit the individual's desire to achieve perfection in his work. The proponents of this view rely on a number of evidence and clues extracted from various studies that prove that perfectionism is an acquired trait and not a fixed trait; an individual who has a tendency towards perfectionism is in some areas such as study, work, home, clothing, relationships, or others. But not all of them at the same time. If it were a personality trait, the individual would have to be perfect in everything, as it is considered a rare case (Stoeber, 2018). Secondly, evidence indicates that perfectionism is linked to previous reinforcing experiences that the individual was exposed to during family upbringing, especially in the early stages of development (Flett, et al., 2002). Longitudinal studies have also shown that perfectionism is variable and not fixed, with some finding that there are changes in the level of perfectionism in individuals over time (Stoeber, 2018). However, criticism has extended to this controversy and discussion. For example, Frank and Gaudreau tried in their study to bridge the gap between the two schools, as they concluded that perfectionism is a multi-level trait or characteristic at the level of people among themselves and at the level of the individual between himself and himself, influenced by internal and external factors (Franche & Gaudreau, 2016).
At the same time, this debate contributed to the creation of distinct criteria that distinguish the perfectionist from the diligent and hardworking person. In the mid-sixties, Hollander defined perfectionism as the tendency to set high standards for himself and others in order to achieve the maximum performance required by the situation, until Hammack tried to understand the nature of these standards and their impact on the perfectionist individual and concluded that there are positive and negative aspects to perfectionism. From this standpoint, different concepts of perfectionism emerged and its dimensions varied in several scientific studies indicating that perfectionism is closely related to other concepts such as excellence, motivation, ambition and mastery (Chan, 2009; Amaral, et al., 2013; Stoeber, Otto, 2016). Hall et al. (2004) reviewed the concepts, dimensions and measures associated with perfectionism, trying to test these dimensions and reach a more accurate and detailed concept. Hall and his colleagues produced eight dimensions that they called the Perfectionism List (Hill, et al., 2004), and classified them under two main types; They are the anxious and the nervous as shown in the following figure.
•For more details about the eight dimensions, see the study of Al-Sahou, Al-Ajami, Al-Anzi (2023).
Figure 1. Dimensions of neurotic perfectionism and anxious perfectionism
Causes of Neurotic Perfectionism
The tendency towards perfection is attributed to several reasons that differ in type and influence, including genetic reasons, personal formation reasons, or environmental reasons that feed the talent’s tendency towards perfection and push him towards rejecting shortcomings and deficiencies in his performance of tasks. We can deduce the reasons in the following points:
A. High expectations and aspirations: Gifted people suffer from tremendous pressure due to their high expectations of themselves, their families, their teachers, and society as a whole, which results in anxiety and fear of not achieving those aspirations (Neihart, 2006).
B. Fear of failure: Gifted people may develop a deep apprehension about tasting the taste of failure as a result of their habit of continuous achievement and accomplishment. Consequently, the gifted person refuses to make any mistake, even a simple one, out of fear, as he considers it a personal failure (Flett, et al., 2003).
C. Social comparison and intense competitiveness: The gifted may set standards for success and failure based on comparisons between themselves and their peers, as a motivation to compete and seek perfection to maintain their position as gifted (Hewitt & Flett, 1991).
C. Parental pressure: Parents play an important role in encouraging neurotic perfectionism intentionally or unintentionally in their gifted children through parental behaviors such as high expectations, rejection of failure, or setting a model for the ideal child. Their influence on the gifted child is very strong, and the child develops a fear of disappointing his parents (Flett, et al., 2002).
C. Fear of disapproval: Gifted people often need approval and confirmation from official figures such as guardians or teachers, and therefore resort to perfectionism in their performance so as not to be exposed to rejection or criticism of all kinds (Chang, 2008).
h. Plagiarism Syndrome: Some gifted students may suffer from plagiarism syndrome, where they doubt their abilities and live in constant fear that their incompetence will be “exposed” in the way others perceive it (Cokley et al., 2015).
Challenges and impacts
Previous studies and research indicate that perfectionism can create a variety of challenges in an individual’s educational, family, and social life. Research has found complex relationships between perfectionism and negative traits and behaviors. One striking finding is the inverse relationship between perfectionism and self-esteem, with increased perfectionism being associated with lower self-esteem (Hewitt & Flett, 1991). This, in turn, frequently triggers detrimental behaviors such as self-criticism, self-blame, and sometimes self-flagellation when individuals discover errors in their performance, ultimately leading to significant declines in self-confidence.
Furthermore, perfectionistic students are often overwhelmed by feelings of fear and intense anxiety about making mistakes and failing in both their academic and non-academic domains. This anxiety often leads to a pattern of behaviors such as procrastination, avoidance, or withdrawal from various activities, primarily due to an increased fear of failure (Stoeber & Otto, 2006). At the same time, perfectionists tend to worry about being criticized by others, accompanied by the belief that they are unable to meet the demands of various tasks (Hill et al., 2016). As a result, these negative influences prevent talented individuals from deriving satisfaction from their tasks and hinder their academic journey. Conversely, the relentless pursuit of perfection can lead to the sacrifice of essential life and family skills, pushing these individuals toward isolation and loneliness as they increasingly focus on achieving perfection in their academic lives (Hill et al., 2016).
Effective strategies
It is important to direct perfectionism properly so that it does not turn into a curse. Individuals must learn how to enjoy the challenge and improvement without putting too much pressure on themselves. They must be encouraged to enjoy small successes and not focus on simple mistakes. It can be said that perfectionism is an important trait for success in life if directed properly. Individuals should learn how to set their goals and develop clear action plans to achieve them, provided that they enjoy small successes without putting too much pressure on themselves. This goal can be achieved by working on developing psychological skills such as patience, optimism, and dealing with stress positively. Social support must also be available to individuals who enjoy perfectionism, especially in areas that require challenge and excellence, such as academic, sports, or professional fields. Through this support, individuals who enjoy perfectionism can achieve success and excellence without being exposed to psychological or physical stress (Al-Sahou, et al., 2023). Here we can summarize some effective strategies to control the level of perfectionism and reduce its effects:
A. Raising awareness:
The school provides guidance activities that are based on raising the gifted person’s awareness of his characteristics and traits and enhance self-awareness and acceptance of shortcomings as a natural human ability (Reilly, 2017).
B. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT):
It is an intervention that contributes to modifying the thoughts and behaviors of gifted people, helps them understand perfectionist thought patterns and their effects, and supports positive thinking habits and healthy feelings (Flett & Hewitt, 2005).
T. Training in planning skills:
Talented people are trained and encouraged to set realistic goals and then prioritize tasks and break them down into simple, clear steps to reduce the pressures of perfectionism (Neihart, 2006).
d. Time management and organization:
Developing effective time management and organizational skills in gifted individuals to reduce procrastination and deadline anxiety (Olszewski-Kubilius et al., 2009).
C. Enhancing self-concept:
Helping the gifted develop a positive self-concept and replace self-flagellation with self-acceptance through guidance programs based on theories specializing in self-concept (Kerr & Cohn, 2001).
h. Encouraging teamwork:
Students' participation in groups reduces feelings of isolation and loneliness and develops a sense of belonging. It also reduces the psychological pressure on the gifted when performing joint tasks (Pfeiffer, 2018).
X. Family support:
Collaborate with parents to create an environment that supports the gifted and values their achievements without demanding perfectionistic outcomes (Roedell, 2018).
D. Techniques to combat burnout:
Training the gifted in relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, controlling anger, and dealing with stress and anxiety (Mofield & Parker Peters, 2016).
Conclusion
In conclusion, the trait of neurotic perfectionism among gifted students requires great attention from educational and psychological researchers, specialists and parents by relying on the results of scientific studies to develop plans and programs that contribute to creating a healthy educational environment for the gifted academically, psychologically and socially. A supportive environment plays a fundamental role in improving mental health and developing the skills of the gifted, provided that it is an environment based on the combined efforts of teachers, parents and educational counselors. Appropriate support is represented in enhancing their self-confidence and encouraging them to achieve perfection in a healthy and balanced manner, without excessive pressure. Moreover, these students should be encouraged to accept mistakes and failure as part of the learning and growth process. Proper guidance for careful perfectionism as an alternative to neurotic perfectionism can be the key to allowing these students to enjoy their achievements and persevere to improve their performance away from self-criticism and feelings of fear and anxiety.
References
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