Procedia

Social and
Behavioral
Procedia - Social and Behavioral Science 00 (2011) 000–000 Science
www.elsevier.com/locate/procedia
Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 30 (2011) 534 – 537

WCPCG-2011

Perfectionism and academic procrastination

Fatemeh Jadidia*, Shahram Mohammadkhanib, Komeil Zahedi Tajrishic
a
Department of Psychology,University of Allameh Tabataba’i, Tehran, Iran
b
Department of Psychology,University of Tarbiat Moallem, Tehran, Iran
c
Department of Psychology, University of Tehran, P. O. Box 14155-6456, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

The present study explored the relationships between perfectionism and academic procrastination. 200 students (92 males, 108
females ) were selected from universities in the city of Tehran through multistage cluster-random sampling. All subjects were
asked to complete the following questionnaires: Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS-F; Frost et al., 1990) and
Procrastination Assessment Scale-Students (PASS; Solomon & Rothblum,1984). Three dimensions and total scores of
perfectionism (concern over mistakes, parental criticism, and doubts about actions) were found to be positively and significantly
correlated with academic procrastination and organization dimension negatively and significantly correlated with it. In other
words, individuals with higher scores in perfectionism scale revealed more academic procrastination in comparison with
individuals with lower scores. The findings provide preliminary support for the role of perfectionism in the maintenance of
academic procrastination.
© 2011
© 2011 Published
PublishedbybyElsevier
ElsevierLtd.
Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the 2nd World Conference on Psychology, Counselling and
Guidance.
Keywords: Perfectionism; Academic procrastination; Perfectionist procrastinator; Procrastination

1. Introduction
Perfectionism is characterized by striving for flawlessness and setting of excessively high standards for
performance accompanied by tendencies for overly critical evaluations of one’s behavior (Flett & Hewitt, 2002).
Moreover perfectionism explained as setting goals that are out of range and as a structure in which it causes the
person to experience negative feelings as a consequence (Frost, Marten, Lahart & Rosenblate, 1990). Early
conceptualizations of perfectionism suggested perfectionism to be a unidimensional construct (Burns, 1980). In
contrast, recent views have stressed that perfectionism is multidimensional in nature (Terry- Short, Owens, Slade &
Dewey, 1995). Recent research has shown that two major dimensions of perfectionism can be differentiated:
perfectionistic strivings and perfectionistic concerns (Frost, Heimberg, Holt, Mattia & Neubauer, 1993; Stoeber &
Otto, 2006). The dimension of perfectionistic strivings captures those facets of perfectionism that relate to
perfectionistic personal standards and a self oriented striving for perfection. This dimension was found to be
associated with positive characteristics, processes, and outcomes such as conscientiousness, adaptive coping, and
positive affect and also higher levels of subjective well-being and psychological adjustment (Stoeber & Childs,
2010).

In contrast, the dimension of perfectionistic concerns comprises those facets of perfectionism that are considered
neurotic, unhealthy, or maladaptive such as concern over mistakes and doubts about actions (Stoeber & Rennert,

* Fatemeh Jadidi. Tel.: +98-9125120749.

E-mail address: fatemeh.jadidi930@gmail.com.

1877-0428 © 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the 2nd World Conference on Psychology, Counselling and Guidance.
doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.10.104
 Fatemeh Jadidietetal.
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2008). People with dysfunctional perfectionism are likely to avoid situations that may require the person to try to
meet his or her perfectionist standards; for example, procrastination (putting off starting a task because the desire to
complete it perfectly will make it hard or unpleasant and prematurely ending tasks because perfectionist standards
are unlikely to be met (Shafran & Mansell, 2001). The recent studies suggest that the majority of perfectionists see
their work as the domain most affected by their perfectionism, but other domains can be affected as well, most
notably relationships (Stoeber & Stoeber, 2009).
Every person procrastinates in carrying out some of the responsibilities and tasks in their life. Some delay
payments or appointments while some others delay housework, assignments, homework or preparing for
examinations. Such procrastinated behaviors affect the individuals in such ways as restless nights, high level of
stress, regret, and panic, withdrawal due to the lack of time or unsatisfactory fulfillment. Then people promise
themselves not to delay things until the last minute but it happens again (Kagan, Cakir, Ilhan & Kandemir, 2010).
The term procrastinate comes from the Latin word procrastinare and means to putt off, delay, prolong, defer, stall,
or postpone performing a task. Procrastinating implies performing an alternative activity to the one intended, which
is not synonymous with idleness (Schouwenburg, 2004). Procrastination can be temporary or permanent and can be
defined as a function of the behavioral output- putting off the action- or the cognitive output- putting off making a
decision (Rosario, Costa, Nunez, Pienda, Solano & Valle, 2009).
The aim of the present study is examined if perfectionism was related to procrastination and, if so, what
dimension of perfectionism showed the strongest associations.
2. Method

2.1. Participants and Procedure

Statistical population of this research was 200 students (92 males, 108 females) were selected from various fields
of study in universities in the city of Tehran through multistage cluster-random sampling. After encouraging the
subjects, Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS-F; Frost et al., 1990) and Procrastination Assessment Scale-
Students (PASS; Solomon & Rothblum,1984) were performed on students. Total mean age of subjects was 21.5
years with standard deviation of 2.20, the mean age of male students was 22 years with standard deviation of 2.60
and mean age of female students was 21 years with standard deviation of 1.70.

2.2. Measures

Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS-F)- To measure perfectionism, we included the Multidimensional

Perfectionism Scale (Frost et al., 1990; Farsi version). The MPS-F is a 35- item measure with a five- point answer
scale from Strongly disagree (1) to Strongly agree (5). Psychometric analysis found that the 35 items are best
subsumed to four subscales (Stoeber & Joormann, 2001) : Concern over Mistakes and Doubts (CMD; 13 items),
Parental Expectations and Criticism (PEC; 9 items), Personal Standards (PS; 7 items), and Organization (O; 6
items). The Organization subscale, however, was not included in our analyses because it is only loosely related to
the other subscales and is excluded when calculating MPS-F total scores. The large number of studies confirmed the
validity and reliability of MPS-F.

Procrastination Assessment Scale -Students (PASS)- The Procrastination Assessment Scale – Students (PASS)
is the most widely used scale to measure academic procrastination (Solomon & Rothblum,1984). It is 27 item
instrument that was designed to measure the frequency of cognitive and behavioral aspects of procrastination.
Specifically, it measures the prevalence of academic procrastination and the reasons for procrastination (Rakes &
Dunn, 2010). Respondents answer the questions for each academic task using a five point Likert scale for two
question: “To what degree do you procrastinate on this task?” (1= “Never Procrastinate” to 5= “Always
Procrastinate”) and “ To what degree is procrastination on this task a problem for you?” (1= “Not at all a problem”
to 5= “Always a problem”). The sum of the two questions (prevalence and problem) of each procrastination area
was computed for a total score. The large number of studies confirmed the validity and reliability of PASS.
536 Fatemeh
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3. Result

Table 1 shows the statistical features of the subjects according to the scores of Multidimensional Perfectionism
and Academic Procrastination separately for males, females and total students.

Table 1. Mean and standard deviation of students’ scores based on Multidimensional Perfectionism and academic procrastination

Females (n= 108) Males (n= 92) Total (n= 200)

Groups Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD

Concern over Mistakes 25.7 6.9 25.9 5.3 25.8 6.2

Personal Standards 25.2 4.4 25.2 4.1 25.2 4.2

Parental Expectations 16.1 3.8 16.1 3.4 16.1 3.6

Parental Criticism 9.5 2.8 10.4 2.9 9.9 2.9

Doubts about actions 11.3 3.3 11.6 3.1 11.4 3.2

Organization 24.3 4.2 23.3 4.5 23.9 4.4

Total score of Perfectionism 87.8 15.8 89.2 12.4 88.4 14.3

Total score of academic procrastination 57.1 8.6 59.3 8.5 58.1 8.6

To analyze data and test of research hypothesis, Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated. Pearson
correlation test results showed that there is positive significant correlation between total score of perfectionism and
total score of academic procrastination. These results confirm the research’s hypothesis (Table 2).

Table 2. Pearson correlation coefficient between perfectionism and academic procrastination

variable 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

1 academic procrastination 1

2 Concern over Mistakes 0.20** 1

3 Personal Standards -0.14 0.34** 1

4 Parental Expectations 0.03 0.52** 0.42** 1

5 Parental Criticism 0.28** 0.44** 0.02 0.26** 1

6 Doubts about actions 0.19** 0.55** 0.13 0.34** 0.41** 1

7 Organization -0.44** 0.04 0.43** 0.25** -0.16** -0.03 1

8 Total score of Perfectionism 0.15* 0.88** 0.59** 0.73** 0.55** 0.67** 0.17*

** p< 0.01 * p< 0.05

4. Discussion

The aim of this study is examined if perfectionism was related to procrastination and, if so, what dimension of
perfectionism showed the strongest associations. As we see in the table 2, Total score of perfectionism and academic
procrastination had positive significant correlation (0.15), it means that individuals with higher scores in
perfectionism scale revealed more academic procrastination. Moreover, in table 2, we see Three dimensions of
perfectionism (concern over mistakes, parental criticism, and doubts about actions) were found to be positively and
 Fatemeh Jadidi et
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significantly correlated with academic procrastination and organization dimension negatively and significantly
correlated with it.
As many researches confirmed (Schouwenburg, 1995) that about 70% of students in universities procrastinate
their tasks, specially academic tasks. Because the correlation between academic procrastination and perfectionism,
as we showed in this study, counselors and psychologists should focus on suitable strategies to prevail over neurotic
perfectionism and academic procrastination.

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