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Tuckman Procrastination Scale
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About Tuckman Procrastination Scale
Scale Name
Tuckman Procrastination Scale
Author Details
Tuckman, B.
Translation Availability
Not Sure

Background/Description
The Tuckman Procrastination Scale (TPS), created by Tuckman in 1991, is a widely used measure designed to assess the tendency to procrastinate on tasks. Primarily used in educational and psychological research, this scale offers a reliable way to gauge the extent of an individual’s procrastination behaviors, particularly within academic and workplace contexts. The TPS focuses on the behavioral aspects of procrastination, such as the inclination to delay, avoid, or postpone task completion. As an effective tool, the TPS provides insights into the habits and tendencies that affect productivity and performance, enabling individuals and researchers to explore procrastination as it relates to time management and motivation.
Tuckman (1991) developed the Procrastination Scale (PS) that purports to measure task avoidance to academic activities. One of Tuckman‟s major goals was to develop an easily adaptable self-report instrument which identifies academic procrastinators. Tuckman (1991) performed a factor analysis and identified a reliable (Cronbach‟s alpha = .86) 16-item scale from an original item pool of 72 items. However, Tuckman‟s first factor analysis consisted of a sample size of 50 participants, which is cause for considerable concern according to Tabachnick and Fidell (2007). Typically, factor analysis requires a large sample size of more than 300 participants to make valid conclusions.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Introduce the TPS to individuals as a scale that identifies tendencies to delay or avoid completing tasks.
- It is a self-report measure and can be administered to both individuals and groups in research or clinical settings.
- Participants complete the TPS by responding to items that gauge their behaviors and attitudes toward task completion.
- The TPS is composed of statements describing procrastination-related behaviors, which participants rate on a Likert scale to indicate their level of agreement.
Reliability and Validity
This extremely small sample size is the first issue of contention with using the PS. When Tuckman (1991) compressed his scale from 72 items to 35 items, he drastically reduced the size of his item pool based on a mere 50 responses. Using factor analysis with such a small sample size could have resulted in spurious conclusions. The second issue of contention resulted in the use of a 4-point Likert scale. Such a scale can artificially restrict the range of responses and promote a higher internal consistency coefficient with a lower variability of procrastination. By using defining middle anchors within the scale, one can also argue that Tuckman (1991) was measuring procrastination on a non-parametric ordinal scale.
- Reliability: The Tuckman Procrastination Scale has demonstrated high internal consistency, with strong Cronbach’s alpha scores reflecting the reliability of the tool in measuring procrastination.
- Validity: The TPS shows concurrent validity, correlating significantly with other scales assessing procrastination and time management, which supports its effectiveness in evaluating procrastination behaviors.
Available Versions
Multiple-Items
Reference
Tuckman, B. W. (1991). The development and concurrent validity of the procrastination scale. Educational and psychological measurement, 51(2), 473-480.
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the TPS measure?
The TPS measures the behavioral tendency to procrastinate, particularly focusing on delaying and avoiding task completion.
Who can use the TPS?
The TPS is suitable for individuals, educators, psychologists, and employers aiming to assess procrastination and improve productivity.
How does the TPS benefit individuals?
By identifying procrastination tendencies, individuals can develop strategies to manage their time better and increase task engagement.
Is the TPS suitable for workplace settings?
Yes, the TPS is applicable in both academic and workplace environments where task completion and productivity are vital.
Can the TPS help reduce procrastination?
While the TPS itself is a diagnostic tool, understanding procrastination behaviors through the TPS enables the development of targeted interventions for better time management.
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