Perceived social support as moderator of perfectionism, depression, and anxiety in college students

• Xueting Zhou

  Changsha University of Science and Technology and The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University

• Hong Zhu

  Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University

• Bin Zhang

  Hunan University of Chinese Medicine

• Taisheng Cai

  The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University

We examined the role of perceived social support in the relationship between perfectionism and depression/anxiety. Partial correlation and hierarchical regression were conducted using cross-sectional data from 426 college students. They completed questionnaires including positive and negative perfectionism scales, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Results showed that depression/anxiety were significantly correlated with perceived social support and perfectionism. Perceived social support significantly moderated the influence of perfectionism upon depression/anxiety. These findings indicate that perceived social support may have a protective effect in preventing perfectionists from experiencing depression and anxiety.

1. Xueting Zhou, Changsha University of Science and Technology and The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University
   School of Foreign Languages
2. Hong Zhu, Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University
   Medical Psychological Institute
3. Taisheng Cai, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University
   Medical Psychological Institute

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