Procrastination as a Transdiagnostic Construct: A Psychopathological and Conceptual Scoping Review

Background: Procrastination is the voluntary and irrational delay of action despite negative consequences. We aimed to identify/suggest procrastination definition, assessment, and psychopathological features (within the contexts of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Method: This scoping systematically reviewed original research studies with conceptual and clinical data related to procrastination. Data were extracted regarding definitions, populations, instruments used, and psychopathology. Results:A total of 387 studies were included. Only 13% utilized clinical/subclinical populations. Definitions of procrastination showed no single consensus. The most cited elements involved irrational delay, awareness of consequences, task aversiveness, and self-regulation failure. The most frequently used assessment tool was Lay’s General Procrastination Scale. A considerable number of studies identified associations between procrastination and clinical constructs such as impulsivity, perfectionism, executive dysfunction, low self-esteem, and mood instability. Few studies directly assessed procrastination in formal diagnostic categories, suggesting that procrastination shares neurocognitive and emotional regulation deficits with these disorders, especially in domains involving task initiation, inhibitory control, and intolerance to discomfort. Conclusion:Procrastination is a transdiagnostic construct rather than a unitary behavioral trait. Its multifactorial nature calls for further clinical investigation, particularly in structured diagnostic settings. A unified definition is needed to distinguish between normative delay and clinically relevant procrastination.