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Maladaptive Perfectionism, Acculturative Stress and Depression in Asian International University Students

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 July 2016

Shaun L. Huang  and
Alexander J. Mussap
Shaun L. Huang
Affiliation:
School of Health Science, University of Ballarat, Australia
Alexander J. Mussap*
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
*
address for correspondence: Alexander Mussap, School of Psychology, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood VIC 3125, Australia. Email: mussap@deakin.edu.au
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Abstract

Despite the advantages of international study — to the student, the university, and the local community — studies have reported an increased risk of stress-related psychological problems in international students. We surveyed 384 Asian international students (189 female, 193 male, 2 undeclared; aged 17 to 47 years) attending Australian universities in order to examine whether depressive symptoms in these students are related to their trait maladaptive perfectionism and the extent to which they have experienced acculturative stress while in Australia. Path analyses suggest that maladaptive perfectionism influences depression indirectly by increasing acculturative stress (mediation model) and to a lesser extent by interacting positively with acculturative stress (moderation model). The results reveal ways in which maladaptive perfectionism can affect the wellbeing of Asian international students experiencing adjustment-related stress.

Keywords

acculturative stressmaladaptive perfectionisminternational studentsAustralia
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools , Volume 28 , Issue 2 , December 2018 , pp. 185 - 196
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2016 

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