Psychometric validation of two Procrastination inventories for adults: Arousal and avoidance measures

Lay's (1986) General Procrastination (GP) and McCown and Johnson's (1989) Adult Inventory for Procrastination (AIP) measures were evaluated across two studies. In Study 1, both inventories were administered to two groups of college students (Sample 1 n=52; Sample 2 n=59), who were asked to return completed scales before the end of the semester. Students' attendance rates at study groups, test grades, and time required to complete multiple choice items on two exams also were recorded. Results indicated that high procrastination scores were related to a higher number of days to return completed inventories but not attendance, exams scores, or test-taking time. In Study 2, nontraditional age university students (n=215) were asked to complete procrastination measures as well as sensation-seeking, need for cognition, and self-esteem inventories. Factor analysis indicated that scores on Lay's (1986) scale loaded on sensation-seeking, while McCown and Johnson's (1989) scale loaded negatively with need for cognition and self-esteem variables. It would appear that although the scales assessed procrastinatory behavior, one inventory is indicative of sensation-seeking and the other the avoidance of poor self-esteem.Data for Study 1/Sample 1 and Study 2 were collected when the author was a Visiting Assistant Professor at Baruch College/CUNY. The author thanks instructors for permitting class time to be devoted to the data collection process. Also, the author thanks Bill McCown and Clarry Lay for editing an early draft of this paper.