Perfectionism and alcohol-related problems: The role of procrastination

Abstract

Objective: College drinking is a significant individual and societal problem, and thus, identifying risk factors to alcohol-related problems has been an important line of inquiry. Adding to this rich literature, the current study examined whether perfectionism dimensions were associated with alcohol-related problems and whether a poor self-regulation process linked these associations. Participants: A total of 410 university students completed measures pertaining to perfectionism, procrastination, and negative consequences of alcohol use. Methods: Parallel mediation models were tested. Results: There was support for an indirect effect in the association between perfectionistic concerns and alcohol-related problems through susceptibility to temptation but not through pure procrastination or irrational procrastination. Perfectionistic strivings dimension was not associated with alcohol-related problems and this relation was not mediated by any procrastination dimensions. Conclusions: Building internal resources to better resist immediately gratifying yet long-run detrimental behavioral habits is important, especially so for highly self-critical students.

Keywords:

• Consequences of alcohol use
• health behaviors
• perfectionism
• procrastination
• self-regulation resource model

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of the United States of America and received approval from the Institutional Review Board of Indiana University.

Additional information

Funding

No funding was used to support this research and/or the preparation of the manuscript.