Art of delay: How problem-solving affects the relationship between negative urgency and procrastination

Procrastination is a form of self-regulatory failure characterized by delaying work, leading to loss of time, and resulting in psychological distress, which is intolerable for people with higher negative urgency (NU). NU is a component of the urgency-premeditation-perseverance-sensation seeking (UPPS) model of impulsivity and can be defined as the tendency to act rashly and impulsively while experiencing negative emotions to seek immediate relief. These individuals may employ problem-solving strategies when faced with negative emotions that surpass their low tolerance level. Moreover, negative problem orientation (NPO) shapes individuals' perspectives on negative emotion-inducing problems and their approach to addressing them. The present study aimed to investigate the relationships between procrastination, NU, NPO, and problem-solving styles while controlling for age, anxiety, and depression. It was hypothesized that negative urgency would be associated with procrastination and the problem-solving styles of individuals mediating this association. Additionally, NPO was expected to moderate the relationships of NU with other study variables. 410 participants in their emerging adulthood stage (aged between 18 and 29; M = 22.04, SD = 2.75) completed an online questionnaire including measures for NU, social problem-solving dimensions, procrastination, depression, and anxiety. Results showed that while controlling for age, depression, and anxiety, individuals with higher NU procrastinated more, and all problem-solving styles mediated this relationship. On the other hand, NPO only moderated the relationship between NU and rational problem-solving style (RPS). These findings suggest a connection between NU and procrastination, and people with NU are more prone to procrastinate and tend to employ maladaptive problem-solving styles to solve their problems.