Examining procrastination and fear of failure among college students

Abstract

Prior research has set out to determine if there is a relationship between fear of failure, procrastination, and gender. However, findings have been mixed, and few studies have explored the relationship between fear of failure and procrastination. The current study set out to examine the relationship between fear of failure and procrastination and fear of failure and gender. A sample of university students (n = 310) was administered the Performance Failure Appraisal Inventory (PFAI), which provides information relative to different forms of fear of failure, and the Pure Procrastination Scale (PPS). The relationship between procrastination and fear of failure was explored using correlation analysis, and the relationship between fear of failure and gender was explored using an independent t-test. Results suggested a moderate positive relationship between total procrastination and various forms of fear of failure. Additionally, women were found to have reported higher levels of various forms of fear of failure. Limitations of this study and implications for future research addressing procrastination and fear of failure were discussed.