Examination of perfectionistic self-presentation in adolescents in terms of negative automatic thoughts and perceived social support

Perfectionistic self-presentation refers to behaviors aimed at avoiding appearing flawed and presenting oneself as perfect to others. Individuals tend to hide, avoid disclosing, or downplay their mistakes and abilities. The way a person presents themselves as perfect is related to the failure to meet their needs. Avoiding showing their mistakes and striving to create a perfect impression lead to stress, creating a foundation for pathologies such as depression and social anxiety. This study was conducted with adolescents, aiming to examine the relationship between perfectionistic self-presentation, negative automatic thoughts, and perceived social support. Data were collected from 388 students (225 females, 163 males) attending different types of high schools in Aksaray. A correlational survey model was employed in the research. To identify the participants' characteristics related to the studied variables, the Personal Information Form, the Perfectionistic Self-Presentation Scale for Children and Adolescents, the Automatic Thoughts Scale, and the Revised Form of the Perceived Social Support Scale were used. Statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS-26 software. ANOVA and T-tests were utilized to examine demographic data, Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient was applied to determine relationships between variables, and Multiple Regression Analysis was used to assess predictive relationships. According to the study's results, a moderate positive relationship was found between perfectionistic self-presentation and negative automatic thoughts, and a weak positive relationship was identified between perfectionistic self-presentation and the family subdimension of perceived social support. Additionally, it was found that negative automatic thoughts predict perfectionistic self-presentation in adolescents. While the three subdimensions of perfectionistic self-presentation did not differ based on gender or family income levels, the perfectionistic self-promotion subdimension varied by high school type. In the final section, the findings were discussed, and recommendations were made.