NACE is collaborating with York St John University on research and resources to help schools support more able learners with high levels of perfectionism. In this blog post, the university’s Marianne E. Etherson and Prof. Andrew P. Hill outline the importance of the need to “matter” in perfectionistic students and how we can begin to promote a sense of mattering in the classroom.

More able learners are typically bright, talented and ambitious. They possess innate aptitude and ability, but with it comes an intense pressure to succeed. Stemming from these intense pressures, students are highly motivated to demonstrate their talents, to fulfil expectations, and to reach their potential. And subsequently, many place irrational importance on their academic achievements. But when expectations become impossibly high, the pressure of being highly able will take an emotional toll. Indeed, because of their ability, more able learners often base their sense of self on their academic achievements. In the face of failure and setbacks, they may begin to question their worth, and as a result, many fall victim to psychological ill-being, lower self-esteem, and lower perceptions of mattering to others.

To matter to others is fundamental to building health and resilience. And a perceived sense of mattering is instrumental to protect against failures and setbacks. Mattering is defined as the feeling that others depend on us, are interested in us, and are concerned with our fate. Researchers have also begun to examine the idea of anti-mattering. Anti-mattering fundamentally differs from low perceptions of mattering as it includes feeling insignificant and marginalised by others. Research suggests that perceptions of anti-mattering can adversely impact psychological wellbeing. Anti-mattering, for instance, is associated with lower self-esteem and increased risk of depression and anxiety. Indeed, feelings of anti-mattering may also adversely impact student achievement and behaviour. For these reasons, it is important to examine personality traits that may influence perceptions of mattering and anti-mattering. One such trait is perfectionism.

Perfectionism is a particularly pervasive characteristic among the more able. Researchers define perfectionism as a personality trait by which individuals set irrational standards and engage in harsh self-criticism. Underpinning their incessant striving for achievement is a need to attain validation, approval, and a need to matter. Accordingly, perfectionistic individuals will be driven to attain expectations because they believe that only when expectations (e.g. grades) are met, they will be of worth and will matter to people who matter to them. Those high in anti-mattering may also catastrophise and overgeneralise their thoughts to perceive they do not matter at all and will not matter in the future. The profound need to matter can be intensified when unmet and thus, many will continue to strive relentlessly to counteract feelings of inferiority.

Because of its importance, people have begun to explore ways of boosting students’ sense of mattering. Mattering is indeed central to promoting healthy and positive development in schools. Ideally, a focus on mattering should be adopted as a whole-school approach, including all aspects of the school community. However, learning environments can act as focal points, to reinforce key messages to students (e.g. you are worthy, and you matter). Environments, such as the classroom, can also be designed to convey a sense of mattering, in addition to minimising external pressures. Teachers, certainly, play a prominent role in boosting learners’ sense of mattering. To convey a sense of interest and care for students, for instance, may be enough to transform students’ academic self-concept (i.e. how they think about, evaluate, or perceive themselves) and sense of what they can achieve.

Research examining school-based interventions shows promise in developing young people’s resilience and self-worth, which can act as protective factors against academic setbacks and interpersonal stress. This work provides a strong indication of the potential value of interventions that focus specifically on mattering. However, interventions focusing on mattering are still in development stages. Similarly, so are interventions that embed mattering and perfectionism. With this in mind, we (York St John University) are collaborating with NACE to pilot an intervention for more able learners aimed at increasing knowledge of perfectionism that includes elements of mattering and other key aspects of making perfectionism less harmful, such as self-compassion. Early indication is that informative videos are sufficient to increase awareness of perfectionism and we hope to learn more about the benefits of other resources and lessons shortly.

In collaboration with NACE, our hope is to better prepare more able learners for the challenges they face. Our intervention aims to convey the message that students are important, are valued and matter. Ultimately, we aspire to establish positive learning environments in which perfectionistic students can thrive and flourish.

Post-script reflection: COVID-19

In this reflection, we consider the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on perfectionistic students.

The COVID-19 pandemic has swept across the globe and has disrupted students’ daily lives. With schools closed, students are facing unprecedented change and must learn to adapt to a new way of living. Amid increased isolation and overwhelming uncertainty, many students will be experiencing heightened stress and anxiety, and in its aftermath, it is likely that teachers and educators will observe a steep surge in mental health problems. In particular, the global health crisis will likely be exacerbating the stress, distress and mental health problems of perfectionistic students. As we undergo a period of great uncertainty, students will likely intensify their perfectionistic behaviours as a means to cope and gain some control. Undoubtedly, perfectionists will become further distressed when their expectations are not met.

Evidently students are experiencing severe disruption to their daily routines and goals, and thus, it is important they reappraise failures and setbacks as opportunities for growth and learn to adopt self-acceptance when goals do not go to plan. Teachers and educators can certainly help implement a sense of self-acceptance and significance and should remain a vital source of contact to calm the uncertainties and doubts of their students. Indeed, the benefits of showing students that they are significant and matter are particularly instrumental amidst the unfolding pandemic.

References:

• Flett, G. L. (2018). The psychology of mattering: Understanding the human need to be significant. London: Elsevier.
• Flett, G. L. (2018). Resilience to interpersonal stress: Why mattering matters when building the foundation of mentally healthy schools. In A. W. Leschied, D. H. Saklofske, & G. L. Flett (Eds.), Handbook of School-Based Mental Health Promotion. New York, NY: Springer Publishing.
• Flett, G. L., & Zangeneh, M. Mattering as a vital support for people during the COVID-19 pandemic: The benefits of feeling and knowing that someone cares during times of crisis. Journal of Concurrent Disorders, 2, 106-123.
• Hewitt, P. L., Flett, G. L., & Mikail, S. F. (2017). Perfectionism: A relational approach to conceptualization, assessment, and treatment. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.
• Flett, G. L., & Hewitt, P. L. (2020). The perfectionism pandemic meets COVID-19: Understanding the stress, distress, and problems in living for perfectionists during the global health crisis. Journal of Concurrent Disorders, 2, 80-105.