Some types of perfectionism in students can help them in academic settings but can lead to burnout in their later careers, says a study in the July issue of the journal Personality and Social Psychology Review.
In an analysis of 43 studies of burnout, Andrew P. Hill, an associate professor in life sciences at York St. John University in the United Kingdom, found that “perfectionist striving"—setting high goals and standards to work toward—could protect students in academic context against feeling depersonalized and burning out.
However, in work settings, striving becomes more entwined with “perfectionist concerns"—the fear of mistakes and social evaluation—and actually leads to increased risk of burnout.
