Perfectionism, Fear of Negative Evaluation and Procrastination in University Students

Abstract

This research aimed to examine the relationship between fear of negative evaluation (FNE), perfectionism, and procrastination among university students, while exploring gender differences and the predictive role of perfectionism and fear of negative evaluation on procrastination. Utilizing a quantitative, correlational design, data was collected via purposive sampling from 300 students aged 18–25 from the universities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Standardized instruments were employed, including the General Procrastination Scale (GPS 9), Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale (BFNE-S), and the Big Three Perfectionism Scale Short Form (BTPS-SF). Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS version 25, including Pearson correlations, linear regression, t-tests, and ANOVA. Results indicated a positively significant correlation between procrastination and FNE, supporting hypothesis that higher FNE leads to increased procreation. Likewise, perfectionism was positively correlated with FNE. However, contrary to expectations, no significant relationship was found between overall perfectionism and procrastination. Regression analysis confirmed that FNE significantly positively predicted procrastination, while perfectionism did not. Gender-based differences were found females scored higher in perfectionism, whereas males scored higher in procrastination. No significant differences were observed across living arrangements or academic fields. Age and GPA were also not significantly related to any of the variables. These findings partially supported the hypotheses and revealed a clear link between FNE and procrastination. The absence of a direct relationship between perfectionism and procrastination suggests the need for further research. These results imply that interventions targeting social evaluative fears may be more effective than focusing solely on perfectionism in reducing academic procrastination.