The relationship between perfectionism, academic procrastination and life satisfaction among university students

Budući da je odnos ova tri psihološka konstrukta još uvijek nedovoljno istražen i da istraživanja nisu donijela jednoglasne zaključke, cilj ovog istraživanja bio je ispitati povezanost akademske prokrastinacije i zadovoljstva životom s pojedinim dimenzijama perfekcionizma (adaptivni i neadaptivni) i utvrditi postoje li razlike u akademskoj prokrastinaciji i zadovoljstvu životom između grupa adaptivnih i neadaptivnih perfekcionista te neperfekcionista. U tu svrhu korištenjem odgovarajućih mjernih skala (Skala pozitivnog i negativnog perfekcionizma – PNPS, Skala prokrastinacije za studente – PASS, Skala zadovoljstva životom – SWLS) putem online upitnika ispitano je 245 studenata različitih studija Sveučilišta u Zadru. Adaptivne perfekcioniste karakterizira postavljanje visokih, realnih i dostižnih ciljeva, fleksibilnost prilikom njihovog dostizanja, motivacija prema uspjehu te osjećaj zadovoljstva i vlastite vrijednosti kada se isti dostignu. S druge strane, za neadaptivne perfekcioniste karakteristično je postavljanje visokih, ali nerealnih i nedostižnih ciljeva, pretjerana rigidnost i samokritičnost bez obzira na ishod te motivacija usmjerena strahom od neuspjeha. Neperfekcionisti su pak osobe koje ne pokazuju ove perfekcionističke težnje i značajke te postižu niske rezultate na obje dimenzije perfekcionizma. Rezultati su pokazali da što je kod osobe izraženiji adaptivni perfekcionizam, manje je sklona akademskoj prokrastinaciji te je zadovoljnija životom i obratno, odnosno što je kod osobe izraženiji neadaptivni perfekcionizam, sklonija je akademskoj prokrastinaciji te je manje zadovoljna životom i obratno. Nadalje, pokazalo se da neadaptivni perfekcionisti više odgađaju svoje akademske obveze u odnosu na adaptivne perfekcioniste i neperfekcioniste, dok ove dvije grupe podjednako odgađaju svoje akademske obveze. Također, pokazalo se da su adaptivni perfekcionisti i neperfekcionisti podjednako zadovoljni životom, dok su obje grupe zadovoljnije životom od neadaptivnih perfekcionista.Due to the fact that the relationship between these three psychological constructs has not been dealt with enough and the fact that previous researches haven't come to unambiguous conclusions, the aim of this research was to examine the relationship between academic procrastination and life satisfaction with aspects of perfectionism (adaptive and maladaptive) and to determine whether there are any differences in academic procrastination and life satisfaction among groups of adaptive and maladaptive perfectionists and non-perfectionists. The instruments Positive and Negative Perfectionism Scale – PNPS, Procrastination Assessment Scale-Students – PASS, Satisfaction with Life Scale – SWLS were used via an online questionnaire and 245 students of different fields of study at the University of Zadar participated. The characteristics of adaptive perfectionists include high, realistic and achievable goals, flexibility in achieving them, motivation towards success and the feeling of satisfaction and self-worth upon when those goals are achieved. On the other hand, maladaptive perfectionists set high, but unrealistic and unachievable goals, they are extremely rigid and self-critical regardless of the outcome and they are motivated by the fear of failure. Non-perfectionists don’t show any of the perfectionistic tendencies and characteristics and they score low on both dimensions of perfectionism. The results showed that persons with higher level of adaptive perfectionism are less engaged in academic procrastination and they are more satisfied with life and vice versa, that is to say that the higher the level of maladaptive perfectionism, the more engaged in academic procrastination a person is and vice versa. Furthermore, the results showed that maladaptive perfectionists delay their academic obligations more than adaptive perfectionists and non-perfectionists, whereas these two groups delay their academic obligations equally. Also, adaptive perfectionists and non-perfectionists are equally satisfied with life, whereas both groups are more satisfied with life than maladaptive perfectionists