MEDIATORS OF RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PROCRASTINATION AND NEUROTICISM

Abstract

Background: Procrastination means delaying action, which creates serious problems both in academic, work, and clinical settings since it leads to reduced performance levels, and gives rise to psychological distress resulting in lower levels of health and well-being. Therefore, it is imperative to acquire a better know ledge of its reasons and relationships with psychological factors. Yet, the nature of those rela tionships remains am biguous. One of reasons is that many fac tors considered as causes of procrastination work as mediators, modify ing the relationships of procrastination with other factors. Hence, the present study aimed at delineating the factors, which might have a mediating effect upon the interface of procrastination with personality features. Material/Methods: Undergraduate students (n=62) participated in the study. The participation was voluntary and anonymous. A self-constructed Questionnaire of Predictors of Procrastination (QPP), a Polish version of the NEO-FFI test, and a Polish adaptation of the Pure Procrastination Scale (PPS) were administered, and there was no time limit. Results: Positive significant correlations between neurotism and general, decisive, and behavioral procrastination were found. There was also a significant interaction of neuroticism with the fear of failure, evaluation anxiety, low motivation and a lack of persistence as well as a lack of time management. In addition, the tendency to succumb to temptations and distractibility proved to be significantly related with procrastination, which suggests a lack of self-control. Conclusions: The current study confirmed observations that a neurotic personality does not determine procrastination but both those variables do interact. This study also shows that anxiety plays a significant role in starting actions and/or in accomplishing it. This is not only a fear of final evaluation, but the fear following the belief of impossibility to properly deal with a given action. Moreover, a capability of controlling emotions is closely connected with self-control enabling the planning, and organizing of an action, which is one of the main problems of procrastinators.