ABSTRACT
The tripartite model of perfectionism was the first model to identify forms of perfectionism that had distinct dimensional profiles and were associated with different performance, health, and well-being outcomes. Evidence for the model stems largely from research based in academic contexts and was controversial from the outset. The first edition of this chapter used research from sport and dance to evaluate the model and address some of the controversy. Since then, two additional reviews of that same body of research have been published. Both concluded that the sport and dance literature provided limited support for the tripartite model and questioned the model’s foundational assumptions. In light of this context, this chapter re-evaluates and re-envisions the tripartite model within sport and dance. This extensive update incorporates recent research not included in any previous review, responds to critiques of the model, and suggests a new perspective on the assumptions of the model. Doing so allowed us to make nuanced conclusions about aspects of the tripartite model that are supported versus challenged by research in sport and dance, and to clarify how the model converges with and diverges from other perfectionism conceptualizations. There are three sections to the chapter. The first presents the foundations and history of the tripartite model. The second evaluates the degree to which research findings from sport and dance support the model. The third responds to recent critiques that have been levied against the model and offers a new perspective that supports its continued use.
