Abstract
There is a vast body of research that describes the potential challenges of sport engagement, such as the development of unhealthy levels of perfectionism in some athletes (Crocker, 2010). Perfectionism is a multifaceted construct that is based on individuals setting unrealistic and unattainable standards (Martin & Swinson, 2009). High levels of perfectionism are associated with lowered self-esteem, increased body dissatisfaction, and disordered eating behaviours (Flett & Hewitt, 2005; Nepon et al., 2011). The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between personality traits and perfectionism in a female athlete sample to understand better what characteristics were more likely to be associated with perfectionistic tendencies (N =31; Mage = 21.4 years; SD = 1.7 years). Athletes were members of team sports (i.e., volleyball, basketball, soccer/futsal, & hockey), and were competing at ACAL, ACAC, and CIS Universities and Colleges in Alberta, Canada. The participants completed a descriptive survey, the Keirsey Temperament Sorter (Keirsey, 1998), and the Perfectionism Inventory (Hill et al., 2004). Results showed a significant positive correlation between the personality trait introversion and perfectionism (r = 0.55 p < .05). These results suggested that as introversion increases levels of perfectionism also increase for female athletes. These findings are important in the area of sport psychology because perfectionism can be debilitating for athletes; understanding more about how personality relates to perfectionism is the first step toward better managing perfectionism in sport. Further research should explore how female athletes manage challenges such as perfectionism in sport.
