Assessing procrastination in Korean: A study of the translation and validation of the Pure Procrastination Scale and a reexamination of the Irrational Procrastination Scale in a student and community sample

Abstract

Procrastination refers to voluntarily delay an intended course of action despite expecting that it might have negative consequences. It is usually assessed by self-reports, and the two most frequently used scales are the Pure Procrastination Scale (PPS) and the Irrational Procrastination Scale (IPS). The current study sought to investigate the reliability and validity of the two scales in Korean by translating the PPS from English and to reexamine a previous translation of the IPS. The aim is to promote further research on procrastination and to enhance a cross-cultural comprehension of the construct in different contexts. Hence, confirmatory factor analyses were conducted using data from 551 participants in a student and community sample. Convergent and discriminant validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability were also assessed. A three-factor solution exhibited an adequate fit for the PPS; decisional procrastination, implemental procrastination, and timeliness and promptness, although a one-factor solution with only the implemental part performed equally well. Meanwhile, a one-factor solution exhibited a reasonable fit for the IPS. Both scales correlated moderately with anxiety, r = .36-.37, depression, r = .37-.38, self-efficacy, r = .-34 to −.38, and quality of life, r = −.32 to −.34, all in the expected directions, but not so for perfectionism, r =.09-.10. Internal consistencies, Cronbach’s α = .93 (the PPS) and.85 (the IPS), and test-retest reliabilities (two weeks), r = .88 (the PPS) and.83 (the IPS), were good. The findings indicate that the Korean versions might be reliable and valid for researching procrastination.