Perfectionism (APS-R)

The Almost Perfect Scale-Revised (Slaney et al., 1996/2001) is a multidimensional measure of perfectionism across three subscales: High Standards (7 items, aspirations), Order (4 items, organization), and Discrepancy (12 items, the gap between standards and reality). The key idea: perfectionism can be adaptive (high standards with low discrepancy — one strives and is satisfied) or maladaptive (high standards + high discrepancy — never enough). "Discrepancy" is the main predictor of distress, anxiety, and depression; "High Standards" and "Order" are not pathological in themselves. This is a common and concrete target in CBT.

Before you start

This is a measure of perfectionism, not a diagnosis. High standards and order are not an illness: they're adaptive as long as they aren't accompanied by a constant sense of "not enough." The main marker of distress is the "Discrepancy" subscale. Official threshold: "High Standards" ≥42 — a perfectionist; among perfectionists, "Discrepancy" ≥42 — a maladaptive profile. The test shows a profile, not a label of "you're a perfectionist."