Is poor control over thoughts and emotions related to a higher tendency to delay tasks? The link between procrastination, emotional dysregulation and attentional control

Abstract

A tendency to procrastinate has previously been linked to low attentional control and poor emotion regulation skills. Building upon these findings, in the present study we investigated whether the relationship between procrastination and attention can be corroborated and explained by emotion dysregulation and dispositional spontaneous mindwandering. University students completed questionnaires along with the Attentional Networks Test for Interactions and Vigilance – executive and arousal components. The results showed that trait procrastination is inversely related to some indices of executive and arousal vigilance. Interestingly, the direct effects between trait procrastination and vigilance scores disappeared when emotion dysregulation or dispositional spontaneous mind-wandering were included in the model. Obtained findings suggest that difficulties in managing emotional reactions and poor control over the focus of one's thoughts might explain the relationship between low attentional control and increased chronic procrastination.