Depression and perfectionism

Medical studies demand intense commitment from students, often associated with a high level of perfectionism perceived as necessary for success. This is a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study of 206 medical students who responded Participants completed two validated scales: the Beck Depression Inventory (short version) and the Réhaume Perfectionism Questionnaire.The mean age of participants was 21.49 ± 1.37 years, with a sex ratio of 1.43. The majority were perfectionists, and 29.6% suffered from moderate to severe depression. A highly significant correlation (p 0.001) was observed between perfectionism scores and: (1) negative consequences of perfectionism, (2) depression, and (3) negative consequences of perfectionism and depression. Perfectionist students exhibited more depressive symptoms, increased stress, greater self-criticism, greater self-doubt, as well as a lack of initiative compared to non-perfectionist students.

Autorentext

Dr Rim Sellami is a practising psychiatrist in the "A" psychiatry department at the Centre Hospitalo- Universitaire Hedi Chaker in Sfax, and an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the Faculty of Medicine in Sfax, Tunisia.