Relationship Between Perfectionism and Test Anxiety Among University Students with Self-Regulation as a Moderating Variable

Abstract

The current study aimed to examine the relationship between multidimensional perfectionism (adaptive and maladaptive) and test anxiety with self-regulation (emotional and behavioral) as a moderating variable, among 260 undergraduate freshmen students in Islamabad, Pakistan. Participants completed measures of multidimensional perfectionism, self-regulation (emotional and behavioral), and test anxiety. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the moderating effects, and correlations were calculated to assess the direct associations. According to the results, significant correlations were found between perfectionism and test anxiety. Adaptive perfectionism was negatively correlated with test anxiety (r=-.415, n=260, p<.01), indicating that higher levels of adaptive perfectionism were associated with lower levels of test anxiety. Conversely, maladaptive perfectionism showed a positive correlation with test anxiety (r=.478, n=260, p<.01), suggesting that higher levels of maladaptive perfectionism were associated with higher levels of test anxiety. It was also found that self-regulation (behavioral and emotional) did not moderate the relationship between perfectionism (adaptive and maladaptive) and test anxiety.