Goal orientations as mediators in the relationship between perfectionism and precompetitive anxiety

The aim of this study was to analyze a predictive model of state perfectionism on goal orientations, and pre-competitive anxiety and self-confidence, through two models that analyze sequential relationships. A first model analyzed the effect of global perfectionism in competition, on goal orientations, and consequences of precompetitive anxiety and self-confidence. Subsequently, perfectionism was separated into two dimensions, positive and negative, from the facets of striving for perfection, and negative reactions to imperfection, respectively. Such a model proved the sequence: two facets of multidimensional perfectionism in competition, goal orientations, and consequences of precompetitive anxiety and self-confidence. Additionally, the mediating role of goal orientations within the second model was analyzed. 171 high-performance athletes of both sexes, with an age of 23.5 years participated in the study, who answered a set of questionnaires to measure the study variables before the competition. The results of structural equation models showed that global perfectionism predicts ego orientation and cognitive anxiety. However, the two facets of perfectionism positively predict ego orientation and anxiety symptoms. Contrary to the striving for perfection also positively predicts the orientation in the task, and this negatively both anxieties. In conclusion, it is reinforced that state perfectionism can be an adaptive trait, since the striving for perfection, if accompanied by a predominance of task orientation. So the goal orientations theoretically explain the relationship between the striving for perfection and precompetitive anxiety.