psychological flexibility procrastination anxiety

Introduction

The relationship between psychological flexibility, procrastination, and anxiety has been a subject of interest in recent psychological research. Psychological flexibility, defined as the ability to adapt to situational demands and maintain balance among important life domains, is crucial for mental health and well-being. This synthesis explores how psychological flexibility influences procrastination and anxiety, drawing on findings from multiple studies.

Key Insights

Psychological Inflexibility and Procrastination:
- Higher levels of psychological inflexibility are associated with increased academic procrastination and psychological distress, including anxiety and depression .
- Psychological inflexibility mediates the relationship between general psychological distress (including anxiety) and procrastination, suggesting that inflexible thinking patterns contribute to procrastination behaviors .
Psychological Flexibility as a Protective Factor:
- Psychological flexibility moderates the relationship between stress and mental health outcomes, acting as a protective factor against anxiety and depression .
- Increased psychological flexibility is linked to better mental health outcomes and reduced anxiety, highlighting its importance in interventions aimed at reducing psychological distress .
Interventions Targeting Psychological Flexibility:
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which focuses on enhancing psychological flexibility, has been shown to reduce anxiety and depression, thereby potentially decreasing procrastination .
- Committed action, a component of psychological flexibility involving engagement in valued activities despite discomfort, is a strong predictor of reduced procrastination.
Role of Psychological Flexibility in Specific Contexts:
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, psychological flexibility mediated the negative effects of health anxiety on mental health outcomes, suggesting its role in enhancing resilience during crises .
- Psychological flexibility also mediates the relationship between problematic smartphone use and procrastination, particularly among female university students.

Conclusion

The research collectively indicates that psychological flexibility plays a crucial role in mitigating procrastination and anxiety. Higher psychological flexibility is associated with better mental health outcomes and reduced procrastination, while psychological inflexibility exacerbates these issues. Interventions like ACT that enhance psychological flexibility can be effective in addressing both procrastination and anxiety, promoting overall well-being.

Psychological flexibility procrastination anxiety

Summary

Introduction

Key Insights

Conclusion

Sources and full results

From psychological distress to academic procrastination: Exploring the role of psychological inflexibility

Higher levels of academic procrastination are linked to increased psychological distress, with psychological inflexibility acting as a mediator between negative emotional states and procrastination.

A preliminary investigation of the role of psychological inflexibility in academic procrastination

Psychological inflexibility, characterized by experiential avoidance, diminished mindfulness, and difficulty articulating and engaging in valued activities, is a significant predictor of academic procrastination.

Psychological flexibility as a malleable public health target: Evidence from a representative sample

Targeting psychological flexibility, a set of trainable skills, can promote various health outcomes by moderating the relationship between stress and various health outcomes.

The role of psychological flexibility in a self-help acceptance and commitment therapy intervention for psychological distress in a randomized controlled trial.

Targeting psychological flexibility during an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy intervention is crucial for reducing depressive and anxiety symptoms.

Is psychological flexibility a mediator between perceived stress and general anxiety or depression among suspected patients of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19)?

Psychological flexibility partially mediates the relationship between perceived stress and general anxiety or depression in COVID-19 patients, suggesting the potential benefit of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).

Impact of Stress, Anxiety, and Psychological Well Being on Procrastination among Adults: A Correlational Study

Procrastination is positively associated with anxiety and stress, and negatively associated with psychological well-being, suggesting that difficulty in completing tasks on time is an indicator of declined mental health and decreased life satisfaction.

Health Anxiety and Mental Health Outcome During COVID-19 Lockdown in Italy: The Mediating and Moderating Roles of Psychological Flexibility

Higher psychological flexibility, including observing unhelpful thoughts and engaging in values-based actions, can reduce the negative impacts of health anxiety on mental health during a pandemic.

Committed action: An initial study on its association to procrastination in academic settings

Committed action is the strongest predictor of self-reported procrastination among university students, contributing more to the prediction than psychological distress, acceptance, cognitive fusion, and attention to the present-moment.

Predictors of Procrastination in a Moderated Mediation Analysis: The Roles of Problematic Smartphone Use, Psychological Flexibility, and Gender.

Problematic smartphone use increases procrastination, with psychological flexibility playing a significant role in this relationship, particularly among female university students.

Relationships among academic procrastination, psychological flexibility, and delay discounting.

Academic procrastination is associated with lower psychological flexibility and steeper delay discounting, both individually and in combination.

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