Procrastination and Task Avoidance: Theory, Research, and Treatment / Edition 1

by Joseph R. Ferrari, Judith L. Johnson, William G. McCown

Overview

Procrastination is a fascinating, highly complex human phenomenon for which the time has come for systematic theoretical and therapeutic effort. The present volume reflects this effort. It was a labor of love to read this scholarly, timely book-the first of its kind on the topic. It was especially encouraging to find that its authors are remarkably free of the phenomenon they have been investigating. One might have expected the opposite. It has often been argued that people select topics that trouble them and come to understand their problems better by studying or treating them in others. This does not appear to be true of the procrastination researchers represented in this book. I base this conclusion on two simple observations. First, the work is replete with recent refer­ ences and the book itself has reached the reader scarcely a year following its completion. Second, when one considers the remarkable pace of pro­ grammatic research by these contributors during the past decade, it is clear that they are at the healthy end of the procrastination continuum. The fascinating history of the term procrastination is well documented in this book. The term continues to conjure up contrasting, eloquent images-especially for poets. When Edward Young wrote in 1742, "Pro­ crastination is the Thief of Time," he was condemning the waste of the most precious of human commodities.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780306448423
Publisher:	Springer US
Publication date:	01/31/1995
Series:	The Springer Series in Social Clinical Psychology
Edition description:	1995
Pages:	268
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.36(d)

Table of Contents

1 An Overview of Procrastination.- 2 Procrastination Research: A Synopsis of Existing Research Perspectives.- 3 Assessment of Academic and Everyday Procrastination: The Use of Self-Report Measures.- 4 Academic Procrastination: Theoretical Notions, Measurement, and Research.- 5 Trait Procrastination, Agitation, Dejection, and Self-Discrepancy.- 6 Dimensions of Perfectionism and Procrastination.- 7 Procrastination, Negative Self-Evaluation, and Stress in Depression and Anxiety: A Review and Preliminary Model.- 8 The Role of Personality Disorders and Characterological Tendencies in Procrastination.- 9 Treatment of Academic Procrastination in College Students.- 10 Treating Adult and Atypical Procrastination.- 11 Epilogue as Prologue.- References.

Editorial Reviews

The writing of the three authors--Ferrari, Judith L. Johnson, and William G. McCown--is joined in this work by contributions from several prominent procrastination researchers, thus combining the focus of an authored books with the diversity of an edited volume. After an overview and a synopsis of existing research perspectives, chapters address topics that include: assessment of academic and everyday procrastination; theoretical notions, measurement, and research; trait procrastination, agitation, dejection, and self- discrepancy; perfectionism; personality disorders and characterological tendencies; and adult and atypical procrastination. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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