SELF-INVESTIGATION INTO REPERCUSSIONS OF PERFECTIONIST BEHAVIOR ON ACADEMIC ANXIETY AND FLEXIBILITY AMONGST CHINESE POSTGRADUATES

Within the sphere of educational psychology, the impact of perfectionism on academic anxiety and flexibility has been closely examined, especially in the context of Chinese postgraduates. The current study analyzed these phenomena within a cohort of 218 postgraduates from a private international Chinese college in Thailand, reflecting an amalgam of Eastern academic culture and postgraduate educational expectations. Results indicated a notable degree of academic anxiety (X=3.70, SD=.75), alongside moderate levels of flexibility (X=2.94, SD=.84) and perfectionist behavior (X=3.23, SD=1.01). Disaggregating data by educational level, Masters students presented with moderate anxiety (X=3.38, SD=.87), low flexibility (X=2.53, SD=.74), and low perfectionism (X=2.74, SD=.66), whereas Ph.D. students exhibited significantly higher anxiety and perfectionism (X=4.51 and X=4.48, SD=.84 respectively), yet demonstrated greater flexibility (X=3.99, SD=.71). Gender and profession proved to be insubstantial factors in influencing these constructs. Contrastingly, educational level was a potent differentiator, with significant disparities evident. The interrelations highlighted a negative correlation between academic anxiety and flexibility (r=-.121), but a positive correlation between academic anxiety and perfectionist tendencies (r=.424). Flexibility and perfectionist behavior were also positively correlated (r=.153). To mitigate the adverse impacts of perfectionism, the study advocates for cognitive-behavioral interventions to reshape perfectionist thought patterns and bolster adaptive coping strategies. It encourages cultivating an educational ethos that emphasizes learning and psychological welfare over impeccable achievement and suggests normalizing mental health discourse within academic environments to alleviate the stigma surrounding perfectionism and anxiety.  Article visualizations: