the big three perfectionism scale btps

The Big Three Perfectionism Scale (BTPS)

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The Big Three Perfectionism Scale – BTPS

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Background:

The Big Three Perfectionism Scale (BTPS) assesses three higher-order global factors (rigid perfectionism, self-critical perfectionism, narcissistic perfectionism) via 10 lower-order perfectionism facets (self-oriented perfectionism, self-worth contingencies, concern over mistakes, doubts about actions, self-criticism, socially prescribed perfectionism, other-oriented perfectionism, hypercriticism, grandiosity, entitlement).Following from the results of Smith, Saklofske, Stoeber, & Sherry (in press), the BTPS appears to be a promising new instrument for the multidimensional assessment of the various facets of perfectionism and their superordinate factors (rigid perfectionism, self-critical perfectionism, and narcissistic perfectionism). In addition, the BTPS provides the first and only scale comprising a measure of narcissistic perfectionism.

Psychometrics:

The psychometrics of the Big Three Perfectionism Scale are reported in Smith, M. M., Saklofske, D. H., Stoeber, J., & Sherry, S. B. (in press). The Big Three Perfectionism Scale: A new measure of perfectionism. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment.

Author of Tool:

Martin M. Smith

Key references:

Smith, M. M., Saklofske, D. H., Stoeber, J., & Sherry, S. B. (in press). The Big Three Perfectionism Scale: A new measure of perfectionism. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment.

Primary use / Purpose:

Academic and research purposes.

 

The Big Three Perfectionism Scale (BTPS)

Instructions: Please answer each statement below by putting a circle around the number that best reflects your degree of agreement or disagreement with the following statements. There are seven possible responses to each statement ranging from โ€˜Disagree Stronglyโ€™ (number 1) to โ€˜Agree Stronglyโ€™ (number 5).

  • Disagree stronglyย  ย 
  • Disagree
  • Neither agree nor disagreeย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 
  • Agree
  • Agree strongly
1. I strive to be as perfect as possible. 1 2 3 4 5
2. I have doubts about most of my actions. 1 2 3 4 5
3. I am highly critical of other peopleโ€™s imperfections. 1 2 3 4 5
4. Other people acknowledge my superior ability. 1 2 3 4 5
5. People are disappointed in me whenever I donโ€™t do something perfectly. 1 2 3 4 5
6. I have difficulty forgiving myself when my performance is not flawless. 1 2 3 4 5
7. I am quick to point out other peopleโ€™s flaws. 1 2 3 4 5
8. When I make a mistake, I feel like a failure. 1 2 3 4 5
9. Everyone expects me to be perfect. 1 2 3 4 5
10. I have a strong need to be perfect. 1 2 3 4 5
11. I am never sure if I am doing things the correct way. 1 2 3 4 5
12. It is important to me that other people do things perfectly. 1 2 3 4 5
13. It bothers me when people donโ€™t notice how perfect I am. 1 2 3 4 5
14. I deserve to always have things go my way. 1 2 3 4 5
15. I am the absolute best at what I do. 1 2 3 4 5
16. My value as a person depends on being perfect. 1 2 3 4 5
17. I am very concerned about the possibility of making a mistake. 1 2 3 4 5
18. When my performance falls short of perfection, I get very mad at myself. 1 2 3 4 5
19. I judge myself harshly when I donโ€™t do something perfectly 1 2 3 4 5
20. I always need to be aiming for perfection to feel โ€œrightโ€ about myself. 1 2 3 4 5
21. I know that I am perfect. 1 2 3 4 5
22. I have doubts about everything I do. 1 2 3 4 5
23. I could never respect myself if I stopped trying to achieve perfection. 1 2 3 4 5
24. The idea of making a mistake frightens me. 1 2 3 4 5
25. I feel uncertain about most things I do. 1 2 3 4 5
26. I feel disappointed with myself, when I donโ€™t do something perfectly 1 2 3 4 5
27. I never settle for less than perfection from myself. 1 2 3 4 5
28. I am entitled to special treatment. 1 2 3 4 5
29. It is important to me to be perfect in everything I attempt. 1 2 3 4 5
30. I feel dissatisfied with other people, even when I know they are trying their best. 1 2 3 4 5
31. Other people secretly admire my perfection. 1 2 3 4 5
32. I tend to doubt whether I am doing something โ€œrightโ€. 1 2 3 4 5
33. I expect other people to bend the rules for me. 1 2 3 4 5
34. People make excessive demands of me. 1 2 3 4 5
35. When I notice that I have made a mistake, I feel ashamed. 1 2 3 4 5
36. People complain that I expect too much of them. 1 2 3 4 5
37. I demand perfection from my family and friends. 1 2 3 4 5
38. Striving to be as perfect as possible makes me feel worthwhile. 1 2 3 4 5
39. I expect those close to me to be perfect. 1 2 3 4 5
40. My opinion of myself is tied to being perfect. 1 2 3 4 5
41. I get frustrated when other people make mistakes. 1 2 3 4 5
42. I do things perfectly, or I donโ€™t do them at all. 1 2 3 4 5
43. Everything that other people do must be flawless. 1 2 3 4 5
44. Making even a small mistake would upset me. 1 2 3 4 5
45. People expect too much from me. 1 2 3 4 5

Copyright by Martin M. Smith. All rights reserved. Permission granted to use and reproduce this measure for academic and research purposes.

The BTPS assesses three higher-order global factors (rigid perfectionism, self-critical perfectionism, narcissistic perfectionism) via 10 lower-order perfectionism facets (self-oriented perfectionism, self- worth contingencies, concern over mistakes, doubts about actions, self-criticism, socially prescribed perfectionism, other-oriented perfectionism, hypercriticism, grandiosity, entitlement). See below for scoring .

Scoring Directions for the Big Three Perfectionism Scale (BTPS)

  1. Self-oriented perfectionism (SOP; 5 items): Sum of items 1, 10, 27, 29, and 42
  2. Self-worth contingencies (SWC; 5 items): Sum of items 16, 20, 23, 38, and 40
  3. Concern over mistakes (COM; 5 items): Sum of items: 8, 17, 24, 35, and 44
  4. Doubts about action (DAA; 5 items): Sum of items: 2, 11, 22, 25, 32
  5. Self-criticism (SC; 4 items): Sum of items: 6, 18, 19, and 26
  6. Socially-prescribed perfectionism (SPP; 4 items): Sum of items: 5, 9, 34, and 45
  7. Other-oriented perfectionism (OOP; 5 items): Sum of items: 12, 36, 37, 39, and 43
  8. Hypercriticism (HC; 4 items): Sum of items: 3, 7, 30, and 41
  9. Entitlement (ENT: 4 Items): Sum of items: 13, 14, 28, and 33
  10. Grandiosity (GRAN: 4 Items): Sum of items 4, 15, 21, and 31
  11. Rigid perfectionism: Sum Self-oriented perfectionism and Self-worth
  12. Self-critical perfectionism: Sum Concern over mistakes, Doubts about actions, Self-criticism, and Socially-prescribed
  13. Narcissistic Perfectionism: Sum Other-oriented perfectionism, Hypercriticism, Entitlement, and

Reference for the BTPS:

Smith, M. M., Saklofske, D. H., Stoeber, J., & Sherry, S. B. (2016). The big three perfectionism scale: A new measure of perfectionism. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment.

Cite this article

mohammad looti (2026). The Big Three Perfectionism Scale (BTPS). PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. Retrieved from https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/the-big-three-perfectionism-scale-btps/

mohammad looti. "The Big Three Perfectionism Scale (BTPS)." PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, 1 Apr. 2026, https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/the-big-three-perfectionism-scale-btps/.

mohammad looti. "The Big Three Perfectionism Scale (BTPS)." PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, 2026. https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/the-big-three-perfectionism-scale-btps/.

mohammad looti (2026) 'The Big Three Perfectionism Scale (BTPS)', PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. Available at: https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/the-big-three-perfectionism-scale-btps/.

[1] mohammad looti, "The Big Three Perfectionism Scale (BTPS)," PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, vol. X, no. Y, ุต Z-Z, April, 2026.

mohammad looti. The Big Three Perfectionism Scale (BTPS). PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. 2026;vol(issue):pages.

Related terms:

  1. Perfectionism in Sport Scale (PSS)
  2. Consequences of Perfectionism Scale (COPS)
  3. Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (FMPS)
  4. Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS)
  5. Sport Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale-2
  6. Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (FMPS)
  7. The Multidimensional Sexual Perfectionism Questionnaire (MSPQ)
  8. The Multidimensional Parenting Perfectionism Questionnaire (MPPQ)
  9. Perfectionism Cognitions Inventory (PCI)
  10. Multidimensional Sexual Perfectionism Questionnaire
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