The Relationship Between Maladaptive Perfectionism and Academic Burnout with Students’ Mental Health: The Mediating Role of Spiritual Intelligence
Keywords:
Maladaptive perfectionism, academic burnout, mental health, spiritual intelligence, studentsAbstract
Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and academic burnout with students’ mental health through the mediating role of spiritual intelligence.
Methods and Materials: This study was conducted using a descriptive-correlational design based on structural equation modeling. The statistical population included all high school students in Tehran during the 2025–2026 academic year. A total of 412 students were selected through multistage cluster random sampling. Data were collected using the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, Maslach Burnout Inventory–Student Survey, General Health Questionnaire-28, and Spiritual Intelligence Self-Report Inventory. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated using SPSS-27 software, and structural equation modeling was performed using AMOS-24. The significance of indirect effects was examined using the bootstrap method.
Findings: The findings demonstrated that maladaptive perfectionism had a significant positive relationship with academic burnout (r = 0.51, p < 0.01) and mental health problems (r = 0.58, p < 0.01). Academic burnout was also positively associated with mental health problems (r = 0.61, p < 0.01). In contrast, spiritual intelligence showed significant negative relationships with maladaptive perfectionism (r = -0.46, p < 0.01), academic burnout (r = -0.49, p < 0.01), and mental health problems (r = -0.55, p < 0.01). Structural equation modeling indicated that maladaptive perfectionism directly predicted mental health problems (β = 0.37, p < 0.001), while academic burnout also had a significant direct effect on mental health problems (β = 0.41, p < 0.001). Spiritual intelligence significantly mediated the relationships between maladaptive perfectionism, academic burnout, and mental health. The proposed model demonstrated acceptable fit indices (χ²/df = 2.31, CFI = 0.94, TLI = 0.93, RMSEA = 0.057).
Conclusion: The findings suggest that maladaptive perfectionism and academic burnout are important psychological risk factors negatively influencing students’ mental health, whereas spiritual intelligence serves as a protective psychological resource that reduces emotional distress and improves psychological well-being.
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References
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