Sorry I can\u27t be perfect: The influence of self-oriented perfectionism on autonomous motivation\u27s effect on academic performance and academic engagement

This study examines the relationships between autonomous motivation, self-oriented (SOP) perfectionism, academic performance, and academic engagement. Using the cognitive evaluation theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000), this proposed model also aims to investigate the direct effects of perfectionism due to the lack of wide suitability and parsimony of other perfectionism models. Perfectionism studies have constructed various models to explain academic-related outcomes, however, the effects are unclear to a certain degree. Undergraduate students (N=223) from the different colleges in De La Salle University-Manila answered standardized questionnaires that included their CGPA. With correlational and multiple regression analyses, most linear regression analyses between variables ranged from weak to moderate correlations SOP scores and autonomous motivation were moderately correlated. Using the Baron and Kenny (1986) Sobel mediation analysis, the mediation effect of SOP between autonomous motivation and academic outcomes was found to be statistically significant, indicating underlying effects from SOP on the relationship, however the mediation effect was found to be weak due to extraneous variables