Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the double mediating effect of external locus of control and avoidance coping on the job applicants’ socially-prescribed perfectionism and dysfunctional anger expression, which was divided into the anger-in and anger-out emotions. To examine the relationship among these factors, an online survey questionnaire was given to 455 job applicants. A total of 306 data were used for the final analysis. The results of this study were as follows: First, all variables(socially-prescribed perfectionism, anger-in, anger-out, external locus of control and avoidance coping) had a significant positive correlation with each other. Second, the relationship between socially-prescribed perfectionism and anger-in was partially mediated by external locus of control and avoidance coping. Third, the relationship between socially-prescribed perfectionism and anger-out was completely mediated by external locus of control and avoidance coping. The results of this study suggest that it is necessary to continuously develop and review therapeutic strategies to treat various psychological maladjustment factors experienced by job applicants. Based on these results, implications, limitations of this study, and suggestions for future research were discussed.