Patrick Gaudreau

Patrick Gaudreau is a Full Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Ottawa, where he specializes in social and personality psychology. His research focuses on the determinants and consequences of achievement in educational, sport, and artistic domains, particularly through the lens of his Model of Excellencism and Perfectionism (MEP). The MEP distinguishes between healthy pursuit of excellence and harmful perfectionism, emphasizing how these motivations affect performance, psychological adjustment, and social behaviors. Gaudreau's work highlights the benefits of excellencism, such as reduced distress and ethical attitudes compared to perfectionism. He also investigates motivational dynamics, coping strategies, and the impact of digital devices on learning.

• Education:
  • Ph.D. in Psychology, Université de Montréal (2004)
  • M.Sc. in Psychology, Université de Montréal (2000)
  • B.Sc. in Psychology, Université de Montréal (1999)

Research Interests: Perfectionism vs. excellencism, achievement goals, self-determination theory, performance anxiety, sport psychology, health psychology, and quantitative methods. His laboratory, LAMRA (Laboratory for Research on Achievement, Motivation, and the Regulation of Action), explores interactionist perspectives on how social environments and individual traits shape achievement outcomes.

Recent Articles: Recent work examines psychological needs in the context of excellencism, perfectionism's impact on social disconnection, and the motivational roles of fear of failure. His findings advocate for interventions to transform perfectionism into excellencism to enhance both performance and well-being.

Awards: None explicitly listed, but recognized as editor of Anxiety, Stress, and Coping and for over 100 scientific publications. Active in applied settings, including coaching youth baseball and advising on athlete well-being.

Advising & Grants: Supervises numerous graduate students and collaborates on grants focusing on perfectionism, excellencism, and motivational interventions. His research has been supported by studies on procrastination, academic transitions, and the psychological effects of sport participation.

Labs/Teams: Leads the LAMRA, a multidisciplinary team investigating achievement-related processes. Engaged with the Student-athlete Well-being and Achievement Project (SWAP), examining sport and academic outcomes for student-athletes.