Are Latter-day Saints Perfectionists? Guest Editor's Introduction

Abstract

Introduction to a special issue on perfectionism among Latter-day Saints, reporting key findings from the Foundations longitudinal study — a six-year panel of 2,000+ youth (approximately half Latter-day Saint, half not) from Utah, Arizona, and California. Dyer challenges the widespread assumption that Latter-day Saints are a "notoriously perfectionistic population," presenting data showing the narrative does not match the evidence. Introduces the concept of healthy vs. toxic perfectionism and outlines how the issue's articles address causes, consequences, and clinical treatment.

Findings for Latter-day Saints

• Contrary to widespread media claims, the Foundations longitudinal data do not support the assumption that Latter-day Saints have notably higher rates of toxic perfectionism than non-Latter-day Saints.
• The study is a 6-year longitudinal panel of 2,000+ youth (roughly half Latter-day Saint, half not) from Utah, Arizona, and California, with random selection and no social-media recruitment.
• Half of all lifetime mental disorders (anxiety, mood, impulse-control, substance use) begin by age 14; three-fourths by age 24 — making adolescence the critical window for intervention.
• Healthy perfectionism (high standards with flexibility) is distinguishable from toxic perfectionism (standards tied to self-worth), and conflating the two overstates the risk associated with Latter-day Saint religiosity.

Limitations in methodology

Introduction/overview article — does not present primary regression analyses; relies on descriptive framing. The Foundations study sample is limited to Utah, Arizona, and California, which may not represent Latter-day Saints nationally or internationally. Approximately half the sample is Latter-day Saint, providing comparison, but the geographic clustering limits generalizability.

Related studies

• 2024PerfectionismMental Health

  Perfectionism's Influence on Adolescent Mental Health

  Mark D. Ogletree

• 2024PerfectionismAdolescence

  Perfectionism Across Adolescence

  W. Justin Dyer

Cite this study

Dyer, W. J. (2024). Are Latter-day Saints Perfectionists? Guest Editor's Introduction. BYU Studies Quarterly, 63(4). https://byustudies.byu.edu/issue/63-4

W. Justin Dyer. "Are Latter-day Saints Perfectionists? Guest Editor's Introduction." BYU Studies Quarterly, 63(4), 2024. https://byustudies.byu.edu/issue/63-4.

@article{byu_studies_63_4_lds_perfectionism_overview,
  title = {Are Latter-day Saints Perfectionists? Guest Editor's Introduction},
  author = {W. Justin Dyer},
  year = {2024},
  journal = {BYU Studies Quarterly, 63(4)},
  url = {https://byustudies.byu.edu/issue/63-4},
}