Why Do PhD Students Procrastinate? Adaption and Validation of the Reasons for Academic Procrastination Questionnaire for Doctoral Candidates

Most questionnaires in the field of procrastination assess the tendency to procrastinate but not the reasons why someone procrastinates. Patrzek et al. (2014) closed this gap by developing the Reasons for Academic Procrastination Questionnaire (FGAP). The FGAP is validated for undergraduate and graduate students. This study validates the original questionnaire for PhD candidates and extends for Ph.D.-specific reasons by interviewing Ph.D. candidates. Based on data drawn from 401 doctoral candidates, we tested different factor structures using exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM). First, the original 13-factor model showed a good fit for the FGAP in the present sample. Furthermore, the extended questionnaire with Ph.D.-specific reasons (FGAP-P) and two additional scales (Feedback and Deadlines and Other Tasks), showed a 15-factor-model to be a good fit as well. Additionally, a hierarchical model with five higher order factors (study-related competencies, personality-related variables, beliefs, task characteristics, general conditions at university), derived by theoretical considerations, showed an acceptable fit. Reliability and validity measures also showed satisfactory results.