Perfectionism, Coping, Social Support, and Depression in Maltreated Adolescents

The current study examined the associations among dimensions of perfectionism, coping, social support, and depression in 58
adolescents with a history of maltreatment. Participants completed the Child-Adolescent Perfectionism, multidimensional measures
of coping and social support, and the CES-D Depression Scale. Correlational analyses showed that depression was associated
with socially prescribed perfectionism, internalized emotion-oriented coping, avoidant-oriented distancing, and low family
support and peer support. Analyses of coping responses and perfectionism established links between self-oriented perfectionism
and internalized emotion-oriented coping responses and self-reliant problem-solving. Socially prescribed perfectionism was
associated with avoidance-oriented coping (i.e., distancing). While self-oriented perfectionism and social support were unrelated,
socially prescribed perfectionism was associated with reduced levels of family support. Collectively, the findings highlight
the roles of poor coping and social support as contributors to the emotional distress experienced by maltreated adolescents.
Moreover, it is suggested that the distress experienced by perfectionistic youth with a history of maltreatment reflects,
in part, the role of maladaptive coping styles and coping resource deficits. Our findings support further consideration of
personality dimensions such as perfectionism as contributors to poor functioning among maltreated youth.