PERFECTIONISM & PROCRASTINATION AS PREDICTORS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS

Abstract

Procrastination refers to the intentional putting off of tasks despite being cognizant of the possible consequences, while perfectionism is the tendency to have unrealistically high standards for oneself. Psychological distress refers to the broad spectrum of emotional experiences that include feelings of stress, anxiety, and hopelessness. The relationship between psychological distress, procrastination, and perfectionism among university students was the focus of this study. A convenience sampling technique was used to select 170 young adult university students, both male and female, aged 18 to 30 years. The Pearson correlation analysis was conducted using the SPSS software. Procrastination and psychological distress were found to have a significant positive correlation (r = .308, p < .01), and perfectionism and psychological discomfort were found to have a significant positive correlation (r = .331, p < .01). There was no significant correlation between procrastination and perfectionism (r = -.003, p > .05). The findings of the study indicate that perfectionism and procrastination are independent predictors of psychological distress among university students.