So much for the carefree student lifestyle... a quest for perfection is ruining all the fun

THE obsession with perfection among young people has risen by more 30 per cent over the past three decades.

They are also 33 per cent more likely to believe that their environment is excessively demanding and that others judge them harshly, according to analysis of data from more than 40,000 British, Canadian and American university students from 1989 to 2017.

The research, carried out by the University of Bath and York St John University, found that the extent to which young people attach an irrational importance on being perfect, hold unrealistic expectations of themselves and are highly self-critical has increased by 10 per cent when compared with previous generations.

The authors suggested their findings point to the impact of three decades of neoliberalism forcing young people to compete with one another. Lead author Dr Thomas Curran, of University of Bath’s Department for Health, said he hoped organisations responsible for safeguarding the welfare of the young, such as schools and universities, and policymakers who shape the environments in which these organisations operate, would “resist the promotion of competitiveness at the expense of young people’s psychological health”.

He said: “Rising rates of perfectionism in this study coincide with three decades of neoliberalism, which has compelled young people to compete against each other within increasingly demanding social and economic parameters.” Co-author Dr Andrew Hill, of York St John University, said: “The increase in mental health difficulties among young people makes for a compelling backdrop for our findings. It may be that higher levels of perfectionism are a key contributing factor.”