Knowing perfectionist profiles: a possible key to supporting teaching internships

Internships are a pivotal component of initial teacher education, enabling future teachers to develop essential competencies, bridge theory and practice, and build a professional identity. However, they are also sources of significant stress and emotional challenge, particularly for student teachers with perfectionist tendencies. Based on a small sample, this exploratory mixed-methods study investigates how perfectionism profiles, based on the 2 × 2 model, are associated with the internship experiences of future teachers. A sample of 32 second-year primary-level student teachers in French-speaking Belgium completed the Almost-Perfect Scale-Revised, which identified four profiles: Non-Perfectionism (34%), Pure Perfectionistic Strivings (PPS, 16%), Pure Perfectionistic Concerns (PPC, 28%), and Mixed Perfectionism (MP, 22%). Qualitative data, gathered through interviews with four representative student teachers, revealed distinct internship experiences for each profile. While PPS students demonstrated motivation and satisfaction, PPC and MP profiles reported heightened stress, self-doubt, and risk of burnout. NP student teachers displayed a balanced approach, with manageable stress and openness to feedback. These findings highlight the need for teacher education programmes to raise awareness of perfectionism profiles and implement targeted support strategies, particularly for the 50% of student teachers in more vulnerable profiles. This study links perfectionism research with teacher education, providing actionable insights, better to support student teachers and foster their professional growth.