Perceived Social Support as Moderator of Perfectionism, Depression, and Anxiety in College Students

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.