The Effectiveness of Self-Acceptance Training on Self-Worth and Perfectionism in Gifted Students
Keywords:
self-acceptance training, self-worth, perfectionism, gifted studentsAbstract
This study was conducted with the aim of examining the effectiveness of self-acceptance training on the sense of self-worth and perfectionism among gifted female students. The research method was quasi-experimental with a pretest–posttest design and follow-up phase including a control group. The statistical population consisted of gifted female students in Tehran during the 2024–2025 academic year, from which 30 participants were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned into experimental and control groups (15 participants in each group). The experimental group received self-acceptance training across 20 sessions, each lasting 60 minutes, while the control group did not receive any intervention. The research instruments included the Contingencies of Self-Worth Scale developed by Crocker et al. (2003) and the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale by Hewitt and Flett (1991). Data were analyzed using mixed analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The results indicated that self-acceptance training significantly increased various components of self-worth, including family support, academic competence, physical appearance, spiritual love, and social approval in the experimental group compared to the control group. Furthermore, the intervention led to a significant reduction in self-oriented perfectionism, whereas no significant effects were observed for other-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism. Follow-up results also confirmed the stability of the intervention effects over time. Overall, the findings suggest that self-acceptance training can be employed as an effective psychological intervention to enhance self-worth and reduce maladaptive dimensions of perfectionism among gifted students. These results highlight the importance of self-acceptance-based interventions in improving psychological well-being and adjustment in this population.
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