A widely used 16-item measure of general behavioural procrastination, validated in multiple samples of students (n=255) and general populations. Alpha consistently 0.86–0.90; one-week test-retest reliability r=0.82. Items tap delay in starting tasks, delay in completing tasks, avoidance of unpleasant activities, susceptibility to distraction, and delay in decision-making. Convergent validity established against prior procrastination instruments and academic performance (r=-0.46). Higher summed scores indicate greater procrastination tendency. The TPS is used in consumer research as a measure of purchase delay and decision avoidance, in health behaviour research to predict non-adherence and appointment-skipping, and in financial research to predict savings and planning avoidance. Procrastinators show higher rates of impulsive purchases (they buy impulsively rather than planning and following through on delayed, considered choices), lower compliance with commitment devices, and greater sensitivity to immediate over delayed rewards. Steel's (2007) meta-analysis found procrastination most strongly predicted by low self-efficacy, high task aversiveness, high impulsiveness, and low future orientation. The TPS is concurrently validated against the Academic Procrastination Scale (Lay, 1986, id:269) and is appropriate for use across academic, consumer, health, and financial behavioural contexts.
Tuckman, B.W. (1991). The development and concurrent validity of the procrastination scale. Psychological Reports, 68(2), 464–466.
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