Cognitive Model of Procrastination | Formulation by Kim Leader

Cognitive Model of Procrastination (Leader)
Treatment Plan for Procrastination

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) Procrastination is another psychological process that is not clinically diagnosable.

However, if you suffer from it or work with others who do, you'll know it can be highly distressing, and cause significant issues with daily functioning.

EXPLAINING THE MODEL

BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS
Starting from the point of Biopsychosocial Factors the therapist or individual seeks to include information on areas such as early experiences, family, culture, friends, religious influences, educational experience and attainment, financial factors, health and role models. Additionally, there is research correlating Procrastination with various personality types. For example those who may be more Conscientious may be more inclined towards a certain perfectionism that keeps them rewriting a sentence until it is just so. People who are more Agreeable may postpone talking to someone about something because they fear that to do so might cause them to feel upset.

However, one must be cautious of suggesting these things are therefore fixed. The aim of acknowledging personality traits is to help reduce the self-criticism.

TASK ORIENTATED BELIEFS
These may be identified from the Biopsychosocial factors, in combination with the Negative Prediction of Outcome below. The beliefs are what underlie the feared predictions.

NEGATIVE PREDICTION OF OUTCOME
The negative prediction of outcome relates to the images and internal dialogue which narrates a story about a feared response. We may be able to identify this in what is running through our mind when we face doing the task, or in our ruminations about it.
Examples may include:

* If I say what I feel they will respond by telling me that I’m being petty, so I’ll just keep quiet
(Underlying Belief = “I should be able to get over things myself” – “it’s dangerous to say what you think”)

* If I don’t do this perfectly my lecturer will think I’m stupid and I won’t get funding for my PhD
(Underlying Belief = “I must be perfect” – “I’m not intelligent”)

* The work will be boring, frustrating and I’ve got much better things to do with my time
(Underlying Belief = “If things aren’t easy then I’m not on the right path” – “Life should be fun”)

AVOIDANT BEHAVIOUR
These may be other things of interest, or seeming use, pleasurable or distracting things. Stuff like tidying ones room; cleaning the kitchen; washing up; watching You Tube; researching something else; stay in bed; ruminate; have shower; reading etc.

SELF-CRITICISM & RUMINATION
Avoidant behaviour leads to self-criticism such as “I should have done it by now”; “I always do this to myself”; “why can’t I just seem to get on with it?”; “there must be something wrong with me”; “other people seem to manage to do it”; “now I haven’t got enough time and I’m going to fail”; “people walk all over me”. Although it is designed to serve the purpose of motivating us into action the self-criticism actually reduces confidence and motivation.

ANXIETY INCREASES Over time the distress and anxiety increases causing stronger physical feelings of dread, heart palpitations, sweating, difficulty catching breath and such.

ACTION
At some point, maybe before a deadline, or may be after one may be called into action and work furiously to get the task done.
We see a dotted arrow pointing to this as we may not get the task completed leading only to further consequences and low-esteem.

OUTCOME
If the outcome is positive we may believe that we perform better under pressure and it reinforces doing the same again next time*. If the outcome is negative we have a lowered confidence in ourselves and are likely to repeat the pattern.

For comments and queries please feel free to contact me at info@possie.co.uk

*Active procrastinators believe that the stress and pressure of leaving things to the last minute is how they work best, and this may actually be accurate. They also believe that they will get things done which also defines as them as distinct from passive procrastinators who find it stressful leaving it to the last minute and don’t believe they will get things done.

To the Top