Importance of Perfectionism in Law Enforcement Suicide (From Suicide and Law Enforcement, P 539-548, 2001, Donald C. Sheehan and Janet I. Warren, eds. -- See NCJ-193528)

• NCJ Number: 193575
• Author(s): J. R. Slosar
• Date Published: 2001
• Length: 10 pages
• Sale Source: US Dept of Justice
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: A paper submitted to the Suicide and Law Enforcement Conference, FBI Academy, Quantico, VA, September 1999.

Annotation

This article argues that perfectionism, rather than stress, is the critical predictor for police suicide.

Abstract

The three components of perfectionism and the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale were developed by Hewitt and Flett (1990, 1991). The three components are self-oriented perfectionism, other-oriented perfectionism, and socially prescribed perfectionism. Self-oriented perfectionism involves the setting of exceedingly high self-imposed standards accompanied by intense self-scrutiny and self-criticism. Other-oriented perfectionism is the same as self-oriented perfectionism, but the perfectionism is directed outward, as it demands that others meet exaggerated and unrealistic standards. Socially prescribed perfectionism is a belief that others have and maintain unrealistic and exaggerated expectations that are difficult and may be impossible to attain, but still the individual strives to conform to the standards to win approval and acceptance. Generally, personality traits manifested in symptoms of depression and in anxiety disorders have a cognitive component that consists of perfectionism thought patterns that are ruminating. These automatic thought patterns of perfectionism are clearly associated with psychological distress. Aspects of perfectionism are a part of adaptive functioning and high standards and orderliness are sought and desired in law enforcement officers. The issue is that point at which perfectionism becomes pathological and whether police officers can maintain an internal balance in their work. The central problem is how to differentiate between a perfectionism that encourages achievement and a perfectionism that is self-defeating. Critical Incident Stress Debriefings should ensure that qualified mental health clinicians deliver services that include identifying perfectionistic tendencies and resulting psychological distress. In helping an officer work through a critical incident and associated trauma, attention should be given to the officers character and personality, particularly how he/she perceives, thinks, experiences emotion, interacts, and processes information. Helping an officer break free of perfectionist tendencies that intensify the sense of failure and lower self-esteem, leading to depression, are critical in preventing officer suicide. An attachment profiles sample items from the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale.