Perfectionism and Depressive Symptoms: The Moderating Role of Self-Compassion

Abstract

Perfectionism is an established vulnerability factor for depression, yet not all perfectionistic individuals develop depressive symptoms, suggesting the operation of protective factors. This study examined the relationship between perfectionism and depressive symptoms and tested whether self-compassion moderates this relationship. A cross-sectional correlational design was employed, and data were collected from 200 adults aged 18–40 years using a measure of maladaptive perfectionism, the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), and the depression subscale of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21). Data were analysed using Pearson correlation and moderated hierarchical regression, with the interaction interpreted through simple slope analysis. Results indicated that perfectionism was significantly and positively correlated with depressive symptoms (r = .48, p < .001), while self-compassion was significantly and negatively correlated with depressive symptoms (r = −.52, p < .001). Moderated regression revealed a significant Perfectionism × Self-Compassion interaction, indicating that self-compassion buffered the relationship between perfectionism and depressive symptoms. Simple slope analysis showed that the positive association between perfectionism and depression was strong among individuals low in self-compassion but substantially weaker among those high in self-compassion. These findings suggest that self-compassion attenuates the depressive risk associated with perfectionism, and they highlight self-compassion as a promising target for prevention and intervention.