The moderating effect of self-critical perfectionism on the relationship between daily stress and self-disclosure in office workers

Objectives The This study aimed to verify the moderating effect of self-critical perfectionism on the relationship between daily stress and self-disclosure in Korean office workers. Methods Study 1 tested a moderating effect with 348 office workers to confirm whether self-critical perfectionism moderates the relationship between daily stress and the tendency to disclose stress. In Study 2, data from 157 office workers were analyzed to examine the effect of self-critical perfectionism on the relationship between daily stress and self-disclosure in response to stressful events through a multilevel modeling test using a daily diary design. Results First, self-critical perfectionism moderated the relationship between daily stress and the tendency to disclose stress. Second, participants reported more self-disclosure about daily stressful events when their daily stress levels were high compared to when their daily stress levels were low. Third, the tendency for self-disclosure to increase as daily stress levels increase was found to be reduced by self-critical perfectionism. Conclusions This study is significant in that it confirmed at the trait and state levels that the relationship between daily stress and self-disclosure in office workers may vary depending on the level of self-critical perfectionism. Based on the results of this study, implications for follow-up research on daily stress and workplace counseling practice were suggested.