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Academics' experiences of a respite from work: effects of self-critical perfectionism and perseverative cognition on postrespite well-being

  • Paul E. Flaxman
    ,
  • Julie Ménard
    ,
  • Frank W. Bond
    ,
  • Gail Kinman
Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Abstract

This longitudinal study examined relations between personality and cognitive vulnerabilities and the outcomes of a respite from work. A sample of 77 academic employees responded to week-level measures of affective well-being before, during, and on 2 occasions after an Easter respite. When academics were classified as being either high or low in a self-critical form of perfectionism (doubts about actions), a divergent pattern of respite to postrespite effects was revealed. Specifically, during the respite, the 2 groups of academics experienced similar levels of well-being. However, during postrespite working weeks, the more perfectionistic academics reported significantly higher levels of fatigue, emotional exhaustion, and anxiety. The greater deterioration in well-being experienced by perfectionist academics when first returning to work was mediated by their tendency for perseverative cognition (i.e., worry and rumination) about work during the respite itself. These findings support the view that the self-critical perfectionist vulnerability is activated by direct exposure to achievement-related stressors and manifested through perseverative modes of thinking.

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Original language

English

Pages from-to (Number of pages)

Pages 854-865

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

Journal of Applied Psychology (Volume 97, Issue 4)

Publication milestones

  • Published - 01/07/2012

Publication status

Published - 01/07/2012

ISSN

0021-9010

External Publication IDs

  • handle.net: 10547/253280
  • Scopus: 84868667718

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