In short
- A 2019 meta-analysis by Curran and Hill of over 40,000 students in the UK, US and Canada found perfectionism increased between 1989 and 2016.
- The biggest rise was in socially prescribed perfectionism: the sense that other people expect you to be perfect and will judge you harshly if you fall short.
- Perfectionism becomes unhealthy when your self-worth depends on achievement, mistakes feel catastrophic, starting feels too risky, or rest feels like something you have to earn.
- Ways to loosen perfectionism include writing down its unspoken rules, deliberately doing something to 80%, and separating who you are from what you do.
If you feel like nothing you do is ever quite good enough, you’re not imagining that the pressure has increased. Research suggests perfectionism has been rising for decades.
What the research found
In 2019, psychologists Thomas Curran and Andrew Hill published a large meta‑analysis in Psychological Bulletin. They pooled data from over 40,000 college students in the UK, US and Canada who completed the same perfectionism questionnaire between 1989 and 2016.
All three types of perfectionism they measured had increased:
- Self‑oriented perfectionism: the standards you set for yourself
- Other‑oriented perfectionism: the standards you expect of others
- Socially prescribed perfectionism: the sense that other people expect you to be perfect
The biggest increase was in socially prescribed perfectionism, the feeling that the world demands perfection and will judge you harshly if you fall short. A 2026 update by the same team, covering more than 80,000 students, found these trends have continued, with socially prescribed perfectionism accelerating from the early 2000s.
The research is based on students in English‑speaking countries, so it doesn’t tell us everything. But it matches what many people describe in therapy.
Healthy standards vs perfectionism
Caring about doing things well isn’t the problem. Perfectionism becomes unhealthy when:
- Your self‑worth depends on achievement
- Mistakes feel catastrophic rather than human
- You procrastinate because starting feels too risky
- Praise doesn’t land, but criticism stays with you for days
- Rest feels like something you have to earn
- You’re exhausted, but stopping feels impossible
What helps
Notice the rules. Perfectionism often runs on unspoken rules: “If I’m not the best, I’ve failed”, or “If I make a mistake, people will think less of me”. Writing them down can make them easier to question.
Experiment with “good enough”. Try deliberately doing something to 80% and notice what actually happens. Usually, far less than you feared.
Separate who you are from what you do. Your worth isn’t a performance review.
How therapy can help
In my work with perfectionism, I combine person‑centred therapy, so the critical inner voice is understood rather than just argued with, and CBT to gently loosen the rules you live by. The aim isn’t to stop caring. It’s to care without being driven by fear.
Sources
- Curran T, Hill AP (2019). Perfectionism is increasing over time: a meta‑analysis of birth cohort differences from 1989 to 2016. Psychological Bulletin, 145(4).
- Curran T, Hill AP and Pose (2026). Perfectionism over time: an updated meta‑analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 152. Accepted manuscript, York St John University.
Common questions
Is perfectionism still increasing?
A 2026 update by the same research team, covering more than 80,000 students, found the trends have continued, with socially prescribed perfectionism accelerating from the early 2000s. The research is based on students in English-speaking countries.
What are the three types of perfectionism?
Researchers measure self-oriented perfectionism (the standards you set for yourself), other-oriented perfectionism (the standards you expect of others) and socially prescribed perfectionism (the sense that other people expect you to be perfect).
Will therapy for perfectionism make me stop caring about doing well?
No. The aim isn't to stop caring, but to care without being driven by fear. Therapy can combine person-centred work, so the critical inner voice is understood, with CBT to gently loosen the rules you live by.
This article is general information, not a substitute for therapy or medical advice. If you are in crisis, call 999 or the Samaritans on 116 123.
