Psychological Development and Education ›› 2013, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (4): 368-377.

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Perfectionism, Self-Esteem, and Academic Procrastination among Chinese University Students

CHEN Chen1, YAN Ting2, LIN Chong-de3   

  1. 1. School of Psychology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210097;
    2. School of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875;
    3. Institute of Developmental Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875
  • Online:2013-07-15 Published:2013-07-15

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Abstract: This study aimed to investigate the relationship of academic procrastination to perfectionism and self-esteem among 311 Chinese university students, ranging from 18 to 20 years old. In particular, this study examined the mediating function of self-esteem in the relationship between perfectionism and academic procrastination. Participants' academic procrastination, positive and negative perfectionism, and self-esteem were measured by Procrastination Assessment Scale-Students, Chinese Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Using hierarchical regression procedures, the researchers found that academic procrastination was positively related to negative perfectionism and negatively related to positive perfectionism and self-esteem. Self-esteem was negatively related to negative perfectionism, but positively related to positive perfectionism. Furthermore, negative perfectionism significantly and positively predicted academic procrastination, while positive perfectionism significantly and negatively predicted academic procrastination. In addition, self-esteem partially mediated the prediction of academic procrastination from both positive and negative perfectionism. Implications for college students' education have been discussed.

Key words: academic procrastination, perfectionism, self-esteem, university students

CLC Number: 

  • B844.3
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