Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between procrastination and depression among graduate and professional students across academic programs at an urban university in southeast Texas. Answers to the following questions were sought: (1) Is there a significant relationship between the level of procrastination and the degree of depression among graduate and professional students across academic programs, (2) Is there a significant relationship between the level of procrastination and variables such as age, gender, type of program and number of years enrolled in a program among graduate and professional students, and (3) Is there a significant relationship between the degree of depression and variables such as age, gender, type of program and number of years enrolled in a program among graduate and professional students? Nine null hypotheses were formulated and tested at the .05 level of significance.

The study sample consisted of 420 graduate and professional students enrolled during the 2004 spring semester. A stratified block sampling technique was used to categorize students into subgroups according to the type of academic program. A correlational design was used in the study. Three instruments were used to collect data for the study, Tuckman Procrastination Scale - 16 item, Beck Depression Inventory, Second Edition, and a locally devised Demographic Information Questionnaire. The Chi-Square Test of Independence was utilized to analyze the data.

The results of the study indicated that there was a statistically significant relationship between procrastination and depression among graduate and professional students across academic programs. Results further indicated a statistically significant relationship between procrastination and the variable gender. More female students scored in the high range of procrastination as compared with their male peers.

The following implications for counseling emerged as a result of the study: (1) counseling center professionals, as well as academic counselors, are encouraged to avail themselves of the academic procrastination literature, (2) counseling center professionals should consider the use of a procrastination scale to screen students for academic procrastination, and (3) counseling center professionals should assist identified students with becoming more aware of their own cycles of procrastination (i.e., causal antecedents, secondary gains, etc.).