Perfectionism, fear of negative evaluation, and competitive anxiety in athletes

Perfectionism, in particular socially prescribed perfectionism (SPP), has been linked to fear of negative evaluation (FNE) and competitive anxiety. The present study further examined the relationships among self-oriented perfectionism (SOP), SPP, and fear of negative evaluation and competitive anxiety. Participants, athletes at a Mid-Atlantic Division I university, responded to a series of randomized questionnaires, including the MPS, the B-FNE, the SAS and a series of scenarios. Fear of negative evaluation significantly mediated the relationship between socially prescribed perfectionism and competitive anxiety. Self-oriented perfectionism was found to correlate with total FNE, but not with competitive anxiety or any subscales. There was no significant relationship between high SOP and choosing the self as the most important evaluator of performance. FNE is suggested to be the link between socially prescribed perfectionism and competitive anxiety.