Skip to Content
Visible Learning™
Visible Learning MetaX
Version 1.4 – Updated February 2026

Perfectionism

Overview

  • Influence: Perfectionism
  • Domain: Student
  • Sub-Domain: Student personality
  • Potential to Accelerate Student Achievement: Likely to have a negative impact
  • Influence Definition: Perfectionism involves students setting excessively high and often unrealistic standards of performance.

Evidence

  • Number of meta-analyses: 2
  • Number of studies: 104
  • Number of students: 8,901
  • Number of effects: 534
  • Weighted mean effect size: 0.03
  • Robustness index: 2

Meta-Analyses

Meta-Analyses
Journal Title Author Article Name Year Published Variable Number of Studies Number of Students Number of Effects Effect Size
Educational Psychology Review Madigan A meta-analysis of perfectionism and academic achievement. 2019 Perfectionism 37 8,901 156 -0.16
Psychological Assessment Osenk, Williamson, & Wade Does perfectionism or pursuit of excellence contribute to successful learning? A meta-analytic review.  2020 Perfectionism 67 NA 378 0.14
TOTAL/AVERAGE 104 8,901 534 -0.01
Back to top