Procrastination and self-compassion in individuals with anxiety disorders

Background and Aim: Literature on procrastination suggests that it is related to varied negative outcomes in the nonclinical population; however, there is a paucity of studies examining procrastination in the clinical population. We examined procrastination and self-compassion in persons with anxiet...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Pratishtha Petwal, Paulomi Matam Sudhir, Seema Mehrotra
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2021-01-01
Series:Telangana Journal of Psychiatry
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.tjpipstsb.org/article.asp?issn=2455-8559;year=2021;volume=7;issue=1;spage=22;epage=28;aulast=Petwal
Description
Summary:Background and Aim: Literature on procrastination suggests that it is related to varied negative outcomes in the nonclinical population; however, there is a paucity of studies examining procrastination in the clinical population. We examined procrastination and self-compassion in persons with anxiety disorders. Methods: Forty-nine individuals diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, between 18 and 50 years of age, were recruited from a tertiary care center. Participants were assessed using the Decisional Procrastination Scale, the Adult Inventory of Procrastination, the Self-Compassion Scale, the Overall Anxiety Severity and Impairment Scale, and the Beck Depression Inventory-II. Results: Results indicated that individuals with anxiety disorders reported elevated procrastination and low self-compassion. Self-compassion and decisional procrastination were significantly negatively correlated. The subjective distress due to procrastination reported by the participants was significantly positively correlated with decisional procrastination. Self-compassion and anxiety severity were found to be negatively correlated. Self-compassion was a significant predictor of decisional procrastination and anxiety severity. Conclusion: The findings of the present study highlight the significance of assessing procrastination in anxiety disorders and indicate that self-compassion-based interventions may be helpful in alleviating anxiety symptoms and in reducing decisional procrastination.
ISSN:2455-8559