This study is to examine the influence of procrastination motives to psychological maladjustment. For the purpose of the study, a series of studies was conducted. First, the study developed and validated a Procrastination Motives Scale(PMS), second, ...
This study is to examine the influence of procrastination motives to psychological maladjustment. For the purpose of the study, a series of studies was conducted. First, the study developed and validated a Procrastination Motives Scale(PMS), second, examined a path model of procrastination motives to psychological maladjustment by using SEM. In addition, the study used cluster analysis to investigate characteristics of procrastination motives.
For the study 1, the present study examined the psychometric properties of PMS through factor analysis, a total of 60 preliminary items were analyzed by an exploratory factor analysis. The results indicated that three subfactors with 21 items were elicited. To confirm the three-factor structure with 21 items, a confirmatory factor analysis was used. The results indicated it was not fit to the model. Thus, the model was finalized as a three-factor structure with 15 items through a modification process.
The reliability of the PMS showed a satisfactory level, and PMS was also proved to show comparatively good model fit through confirmatory factor analysis. In the course of validation, it was revealed that PMS showed high positive correlation with a procrastination scale. PMS showed a negative correlations with self-efficacy, self-regulation, and active coping style, and showed positive correlations with self-handicapping, anxiety, depression, and passive coping style. The results proved that PMS can be reliably used in assessing the procrastination motives of college students.
For the study 2, the study examined the paths from procrastination motives to psychological maladjustment using a SEM method, and took a look at the characteristics of groups through cluster analysis using the combination of the subordinate factors of the procrastination motives. First, there were the four competing models that can well explain the aspects of the relations from the procrastination motives, by way of self-efficacy and self-handicapping to psychological maladjustment, and I selected a final model which was the most fitted among them by the model competition processes. As a result, it was found that the whole procrastination motive has an effect on psychological maladjustment by mediating self-efficacy or going through self-efficacy and self-handicapping one after another. Taking the significance of path coefficient or size into account, the final model was confirmed to be the best model fit in explaining the relations from the procrastination motives to psychological maladjustment.
Meanwhile, by examining the path models to psychological maladjustment by the sub-factors of procrastination motives, it was proved that the processes or mechanisms in which sub-factors have an effect on psychological maladjustment were different from one another. Additionally, the study used cluster analysis to investigate characteristics of procrastination motives. and confirmed there were four groups with heterogeneous characteristics. Finally, it was discussed that importances and implications of the studies in taking the procrastination motives into account in executing the research related to the classification of patterns of procrastination and psychological maladjustment.
Key Words: procrastination motives, procrastination, psychological maladjustment, model competition, cluster analysis