Perfectionism, Family Climate and Emotion Regulation in Childhood

While perfectionism is recognized as a complex personality trait with both adaptive and maladaptive facets in adults, the specific developmental and contextual factors that influence its emergence in children are poorly understood. This study addresses this critical gap by examining associations between children’s perceptions of family climate and emotion regulation strategies. A sample of 191 children (94 boys, Mage = 11.27 years, SD = 0.97) completed standardized measures of perfectionism, family environment, and emotion regulation. Results indicated that both family climate and emotion regulation significantly predict perfectionism in children (R2 = 0.36). Specifically, children’s perceptions of high parental control, a strong achievement family orientation, and reliance on expressive suppression (hiding emotions) emerged as moderate, significant predictors. These findings clarify the developmental factors underlying perfectionism, providing actionable targets—particularly around adaptive parenting and emotion coping—for child and family support programs and preventative interventions focused on promoting long-term well-being.