Asian Adults’ Hypercompetitiveness and Distress: the Mediating Role of a Negative Problem-Solving Orientation

One hundred and thirty one parents/guardians of primary school students in Hong Kong participated in the current study designed to assess whether a negative problem solving orientation (NPO) mediates the relationship between hypercompetitiveness and distress. Individuals high in hypercompetitiveness were expected to experience more distress, and this experience was thought to occur through the utilization of a NPO. Participants completed the
Hypercompetitive Attitude Scale, the Social Problem Solving Inventory-Revised, and the K10. Results of a mediation regression analysis supported the hypotheses. Specifically, individuals high as compared to low in hypercompetitiveness endorsed more distress. Further, consistent with previous research, a partial mediational role of a NPO on the relationship between hypercompetitiveness and distress was discovered. As predicted, the relationship between hypercompetitiveness and distress, though still significant, was weakened after entering responses to the NPO subscale into the mediational model. The type of social problem solving orientation (e.g., NPO) the hypercompetitive participants identified with contributed to their level of distress. The findings suggest psychologists may help hypercompetitive clients identify more adaptive ways to problem solve to reduce their distress.