Perfectionism, life stress, and suicidal ideation among college students: A protective role of self-compassion

Suicidal behavior among South Korean young adults has been a serious social concern. When college students have a maladaptive desire for perfectionism in life, they may experience more significant life stress and, in turn, higher devaluation of their lives. However, not every individual is equally influenced by perfectionism and develops adverse emotional outcomes. Some researchers proposed that self-compassion, being warm and understanding toward oneself rather than ignoring or criticizing oneself, might act as a protective factor against mental health concerns. Therefore, using a sample of 420 Korean college students, this study conducted structural equation modeling to examine self-compassion as a potential protective factor for the mediation effect of life stress in the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and suicidal ideation. Results supported the hypothesized model, with students with higher self-compassion reporting more negligible adverse impacts of maladaptive perfectionism on suicidal ideation mediated by life stress. Implications and future directions are discussed.