title: Procrastination, Distress and Life Satisfaction across the Age Range - A German Representative Community Study.
abstract: Addressing the lack of population-based data the purpose of this representative study was to assess procrastination and its associations with distress and life satisfaction across the life span. A representative German community sample (1,350 women; 1,177 men) between the ages of 14 and 95 years was examined by the short form of the General Procrastination Scale (GPS-K; 1) and standardized scales of perceived stress, depression, anxiety, fatigue and life satisfaction. As hypothesized, procrastination was highest in the youngest cohort (14-29 years). Only in the youngest and most procrastinating cohort (aged 14 to 29 years), men procrastinated more than women. As we had further hypothesized, procrastination was consistently associated with higher stress, more depression, anxiety, fatigue and reduced satisfaction across life domains, especially regarding work and income. Associations were also found with lack of a partnership and unemployment. Findings are discussed with regard to potential developmental and cohort effects. While procrastination appears to be a pervasive indicator for maladjustment, longitudinal analyses in high-risk samples (e.g. late adolescence, unemployment) are needed to identify means and mechanisms of procrastinating.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Manfred E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Beutel
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Eva M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.affiliation: Institute of Education, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aufenanger
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Elmar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brähler
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dreier
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Kai W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.affiliation: Department of Communication, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Quiring
authors.affiliation: Department of Communication, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Leonard
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Reinecke
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Medical Center Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schmutzer
authors.affiliation: Department of Communication, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stark
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wölfling
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014478:Unemployment; D055815:Young Adult