Procrastination and Defense Styles among Adolescent Girls and their Mothers

The aim of this study was to investigate procrastination and defense style patterns in adolescent girls and their mothers. The study was carried out among 373 high school girls and their mothers. Andrews, Sing and Bound (1993) defense styles questionnaire and Tuckman’s (1991) procrastination scale, were administrated on the participants. Data were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient, multiple regression analysis, independent t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results indicated significant relationships between mothers’ and their daughters’ procrastination, between mothers’ and their daughters’ mature defense style, between mothers’ and their daughters’ immature defense style, and between mothers’ and their daughters’ neurotic defense style. The girls’ procrastination were associated negatively with their mothers’ mature defense style and positively with the mothers’ neurotic defense style. Also, among defense styles, immature defense style was best positive predictor for procrastination, and subsequently mature defense style and neurotic defense style negatively predicted procrastination.