Does Perfectionism Affect The Mind Of An Athlete?

In a study conducted by the Department of Psychology at the University of Kent Keynes College, their research argues that pushing for perfection is not “maladaptive” and is not related to the competitive anxiety that athletes experience. Perfectionism is a simple personality trait that is found in several athletes. Perfectionism can be best described by an athlete who strives for flawlessness and excellence and tends to set high standards for performance. Some researchers view perfectionism as a trait that is adaptive that assists the athletes to achieve their goals. However, on the other hand, other researchers argue that perfectionism is a maladaptive trait that can negatively affect the athlete instead of benefiting their performance. In

However, the research did have its minor flaws that limited the researchers from a full holistic view of the athletes. In the methods portion of the research it is stated how the researchers break up their sample into four sample sizes. Instead of having large sample sizes the researchers should have gone with a qualitative approach and conduct interviews to get a more personal understanding of the athlete. An interview one on one would definitely take the researchers time, however, it would be beneficial information about the athlete and what they are experiencing. When it is time for an athlete to compete in a game/ match, each person reacts differently to pressure and anxiety. Something beneficial the researchers could have done would be interviewing the athletes before and after their game; this would allow the researchers to collect data on their mannerism and how they feel about perfecting their game, even how they handle their

One thing that could improve the study would be do away with the questionnaire as stated in the paragraph above, and observe how the athletes train. If the researches collected data on how the athletes trained it would give more accurate results. The researchers can see firsthand how the athlete may or may not cope with anxiety and strive for perfection. Furthermore, the researchers can also observe how the coach performs the training sessions and how the athlete trains in relation with the team. Had the researchers done a qualitative approach they would have be able to collect and interpret data through observation of their practice