Perfectionism and depression in sport. Are we as clear as in clinical practice? A systematic review

GONZALEZ-HERNANDEZ, JUAN; SARRIES, SOFÍA; RAIMUNDI, MARÍA JULIA; FLETT, GORDON; HEWITT, PAUL

Current Psychology

Springer Nature

Año: 2025 vol. 44 p. 1 - 15

1046-1310

Depression is among the most prevalent mental disorders globally, and the athletic population is not exempt from its impact. Research has identified perfectionism as a personality trait strongly associated with depressive symptoms in athletes, often characterized by elevated levels of rumination and intrusive thoughts following high-pressure situations such as competitive events. The current study aimed to review the relationship between perfectionism and depression in the sports context, describing which vulnerability factors (both predisposing and maintenance) have been linked in scientific literature. A total of 1,046 publications were initially identified, of which 13 met the established inclusion criteria. This review describes the instruments used to assess perfectionism and depression in sport settings (describing their rigor and clinical value), outlines the sociodemographic characteristics of the athlete populations in which this variable combination is most frequently observed. Finally, additional variables associated with perfectionism and depression, such as anxiety, burnout, and coping strategies, are also discussed. The findings of this review may help reorient empirical approaches that seek to explain, from a coherent clinical perspective, the intense and extreme relationship between perfectionistic tendencies and the emergence of depressive symptoms in high-performance sport. Also, the results may support the valuable scientific effort to inform coaches, other sport professionals, or family members to identify, address, and support athletes (or themselves), positively impacting their psychosocial resources and individual capacities for healthy adaptation and/or athletic effectiveness.