Abstract
Context and Relevance. The pursuit of higher education and a successful career has become a dominant trend among contemporary youth, closely linked to the rise of perfectionism in this demographic. Within the framework of cultural-historical theory, student perfectionism should be examined through the lens of the social situation of development. Objective. This study aims to compare the levels of perfectionism among students in China, Kazakhstan, and Russia, with a specific focus on gender differences. Hypothesis. It is hypothesized that perfectionism among students from China, Kazakhstan, and Russia will differ due to the presence of socio-cultural norms that have historically evolved within each society and are transmitted through upbringing. Methods and Materials. The sample comprised 249 students from China (56,4% male, 45,4% female), 298 from Kazakhstan (40,3% male, 59,7% female), and 190 from Russia (40,5% male, 59,5% female). The Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (FMPS, Frost et al., 1990) was employed. Results. The study revealed differences between maladaptive and adaptive perfectionism traits in students across different countries. Chinese students exhibited significantly higher levels of parental criticism, while Kazakh students reported higher parental expectations, underscoring the pivotal role of cultural norms transmitted by older generations. Gender comparisons revealed that adaptive perfectionism was significantly higher among male students in China and Russia compared to their female counterparts; no such differences were observed in Kazakhstan. Conclusions. The significance of sociocultural factors in the development of student perfectionism has been empirically confirmed. The results may inform the design of psychological and pedagogical interventions for students from diverse cultural backgrounds.