The Share of Genetic and Environmental Factors to Perfectionism: A Classical Twin Study

Abstract

Abstract Background and aim: Genetic and environmental factors are both effective in creating different psychological traits. Therefore, in addition to recognizing the environmental factors affecting psychological traits, biological factors such as heritability also need to be studied. Thus, the present study aimed to measure the heritability of perfectionism among MZ and DZ twins. Methods: 174 MZ and DZ twins participated in this study. This study used Hewitt and Flett Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale to measure perfectionism and its subscales. The method used in this study was the classical univariate twin model. Results: The results of this study showed that both self-oriented perfectionism (SOP) and socially prescribed perfectionism (SPP) are explained by the CE model. Thus, SOP and SPP are 0.48 and 0.68 under the influence of common environmental factors (C) and 0.52 and 0.32 are under the influence of specific environmental factors (E). It was also found that the other-oriented perfectionism (OOP) is 0.42 under the influence of non-additive genetics (D) and 0.58 under the influence of the E effect. Finally, the effect of additive genetics (A) on total perfectionism was about twice that of the E effect. Conclusion: Specific and shared environmental factors are effective in SOP and SPP. Total perfectionism is more influenced by genetic factors than environmental factors.