Perfectionism consists of high standards and hyper-critical self-evaluation. Doctor of Physical
Therapy (DPT) students are required to meet highly competitive admissions processes and
rigorous academic expectations. Unsurprisingly, DPT students experience increased stress levels
during their academic tenure. There is a limited understanding of how successful these students
are at managing the increased stress, especially among perfectionists. In this non-experimental,
cross-sectional study, participants completed perfectionism, stress perception, and stress
management validated measures. Results demonstrated that this sample was composed of
41.10% Adaptive Perfectionists and 25.15% Maladaptive Perfectionists. There was a moderate,
direct association of perceived stress and the perfectionism discrepancy measure (rs = .51, p <
.01). The perceived stress and perfectionism subtype logistic regression model was statisticallysignificant,
χ2(1) = 18.73, p < .01. Additionally, there was a weak, indirect association between
stress management and the perfectionism discrepancy measure (rs = -.38, p < .01). The stress
management and perfectionism subtype logistic regression model was statistically-significant,
χ2(1) = 14.40, p < .01. DPT students who are Maladaptive Perfectionists may be at greater risk
for stress-related concerns. Baseline measures of perfectionism, stress perception, and stress
management may inform curricular decisions regarding placement and sequencing of stress
management interventions. Additionally, these measures may assist educators with identifying
at-risk students and monitoring student response to stress management interventions. DPT
students who are able to effectively manage stress may ultimately have greater well-being and
lower rates of burnout.