Abstract
Abstract Objectives This study investigated: (1) whether maladaptive perfectionism predicted the experience of self-conscious emotions such as shame, guilt and pride following an imagined failure and (2) whether self-compassionate writing could reduce shame and guilt and increase pride relative to a control and self-esteem writing task. Design The study used a correlational design to assess the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and self-conscious emotions. The study also used an experimental between-subjects design to investigate the effect of writing task on self-conscious emotions controlling for initial levels of self-conscious emotion using ANCOVA. Methods Ninety-five University of Surrey students completed an online study that manipulated imagined failure on an academic assignment, and measured maladaptive perfectionism and shame, guilt and pride. Participants were then randomly allocated to either a self-compassionate, self-esteem or a control writing task. Self-conscious emotions were then measured again. Results Following imagining failure maladaptive perfectionism was positively associated with state shame and guilt and negatively associated with state pride. When measured after the writing tasks, the means for shame and guilt were lowered and the mean for pride was increased. However, contrary to predictions, shame was not predicted by writing condition, guilt remained highest following completion of a self-compassionate writing task and pride was highest following the completion of the control-writing task. Conclusions Maladaptive perfectionism is correlated with self-conscious emotions following imagined failure. Self-compassionate writing tasks do not appear to be more effective at improving self-conscious emotion than other writing tasks.