Students Perfectionism and English Speaking Performance: A Correlational Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22437/jssh.v10i2.58101Keywords:
Adaptive perfectionism, EFL learners, English-speaking performance, Maladaptive perfectionism, Speaking skillsAbstract
This study investigated the relationship between students’ perfectionism tendencies and their English-speaking performance among twelfth-grade students at SMA Islam Plus Tahfizh Attaufiq Jambi. A quantitative correlational research design was employed involving 44 students selected through total sampling. Data were collected using the Child and Adolescent Perfectionism Scale (CAPS) to measure adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism, and an English-speaking test assessed using Hughes’s (2003) analytical rubric. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Spearman’s rank-order correlation. The findings revealed that both adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism demonstrated positive relationships with all speaking components. Statistically significant relationships were identified only in pronunciation and fluency, while no significant relationships were found with grammar, vocabulary, comprehension, or overall English-speaking performance. These findings suggest that perfectionistic tendencies may contribute more to specific aspects of speaking performance requiring continuous practice and self-monitoring than to overall speaking proficiency. The study highlights the importance of recognizing students’ psychological characteristics in EFL learning and encourages teachers to foster adaptive perfectionistic behaviours while creating supportive classroom environments.References
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