Validation of Spanish version of the Perfectionism Cognitions Inventory: Profiles of automatic perfectionism thoughts and their associations with social anxiety

Abstract

Research on perfectionism is gaining importance. However, there is a lack of research findings on perfectionistic automatic thoughts (PATs). Accordingly, the first aim of this study was to validate a newly developed Spanish version of the Perfectionistic Cognitions Inventory. The second aim was to ascertain different profiles of PATs and examine intercluster differences in social anxiety. A sample of seven hundred ninety-eight 21–43-year-old Spanish undergraduate students (Mage = 23.2 years, SD = 5.28) participated in the study. A model that consisted of 17 items situated within three first-order factors, namely, perfectionistic strivings, demands, and concerns, which loaded onto a second-order factor, namely, PATs, was found to be the best fit for the data. Cluster analysis identified three profiles of PATs. The group that obtained the highest scores on all three dimensions of PATs also obtained the highest scores on a measure of social anxiety. The present findings contribute to the existing literature on PATs.