Academic Procrastination Scale

What it measures

Measures the general tendency to delay academic tasks — submitting assignments late, leaving study until the last minute, and failing to start tasks despite intending to. Academic procrastination is one of the most prevalent and costly self-regulatory failures in higher education, affecting approximately 70–95% of students to some degree and strongly associated with poorer academic outcomes and higher stress.

Response format

Likert (1–5, extremely uncharacteristic to extremely characteristic)

Representative items

• I often find myself performing tasks that I had intended to do days before.
• I do not do assignments until just before they are to be handed in.
• When I have a deadline, I wait until the last minute.
• I am continually saying 'I'll do it tomorrow'.
• I generally send in assignments on time. (R)

Usage notes & scoring

(R)=reverse-scored. Score = mean. Higher = greater procrastination tendency. Widely used general procrastination scale applied to academic contexts. Steel's (2007) meta-analysis identified low self-efficacy, poor task value, and impulsiveness as key antecedents. Distinct from strategic delay (deliberate decision to postpone) — procrastination is unintentional and accompanied by distress.

Recommended companion scales

Citation

Lay, C.H. (1986). At last, my research article on procrastination. Journal of Research in Personality, 20(4), 474–495.

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