New research finds university students experiencing increasing levels of perfectionism
University students are becoming increasingly perfectionistic, with growing fears about failure, mistakes and being judged by others, according to new research co-authored by Dr Thomas Curran, Associate Professor of Social Psychology in the Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science.
The study, Perfectionism Is Accelerating Over Time: A Cross-Temporal Meta-Analytic Review of 35 Years of College Student Data, was published in Psychological Bulletin on 28 May 2026.
Researchers analysed data from 307 studies involving more than 82,000 university students in the United Kingdom, United States and Canada between 1989 and 2024 with findings revealing that several dimensions of perfectionism have increased steadily over time, and some forms accelerating sharply since the early 2000s.
The results found substantial increases in “perfectionistic concerns” which include fear of failure, excessive concern over mistakes, indecisiveness and anxiety about negative judgement from others. Researchers also found increases in “perfectionistic strivings”, which are defined as setting exceptionally high standards and working intensely to meet them.
The study also examined how broader economic conditions relate to these trends with rising inequality being associated with steeper increases in perfectionistic concerns, and declining growth in GDP per capita linked to higher perfectionistic striving.
The researchers argue that these trends reflect the cultural and economic pressures shaping young people’s lives, including heightened competition, insecurity and the growing sense that mistakes carry increasingly serious consequences.
Perfectionism’s association with mental health difficulties, including anxiety and depression, was found to have remained stable over time. As perfectionism has increased, researchers suggest it may be contributing to wider concerns about youth mental health.
The paper also challenges explanations that place primary blame on smartphones or social media alone. While digital technologies may have intensified pressures, the researchers note that rising perfectionism predates the emergence of social media and appears closely connected to broader social and economic changes.
Dr Thomas Curran, Associate Professor of Social Psychology in the Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science commented: "Our findings show that perfectionism among young people is accelerating in the US, UK, and Canada, particularly the belief that others demand perfection of them. The acceleration began in the early 2000s. The variables that best predict where perfectionism climbs fastest are declining GDP per capita and rising income inequality. Perfectionism has strong links with depression and anxiety, and so if we're serious about reversing the youth mental health crisis, we need to address those economic and cultural conditions, not just screen time and parenting styles."