Overcoming Perfectionism in Adolescents: The Role of Problem-Solving Model of Cognitive Behavioural Coaching

This study evaluated the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural coaching (CBC) on academic perfectionism of adolescents. The study also explored the influence of gender on academic perfectionism of adolescents. Seventy-nine (79) senior secondary school adolescents in class two participated in the study. A perfectionism proneness checklist was used to measure their levels of perfectionism. The study used a pretest posttest non-equivalent control group quasi-experimental research design involving one experimental group and one control group. The CBC was conducted using a 6-weeks problem-solving coaching plan. All outcomes were measured before and after the CBC intervention. The data were analyzed using the intent-to-treat principle. Results show that in-school adolescents in the experimental had a significant reduction in their academic perfectionism after the intervention. Also, gender as a factor in the study had a non-significant influence on the academic perfectionism of in-school adolescents. Finally, there was a non-significant interaction effect of gender and CBC on in-school adolescents’ academic perfectionism.