Revenge Bedtime Procrastination Scale (RBPS)

What is Revenge Bedtime Procrastination?

Revenge bedtime procrastination (RBP) refers to the phenomenon where individuals delay going to bed, even though they are tired and need sleep, as a way of reclaiming personal time. This behaviour is often driven by a sense of lost autonomy during the day, particularly among people with demanding schedules or responsibilities (Wessel, 2023).

The term originated in China alongside the notorious 996 work schedule and resultant frustration with extended and exhausting work hours that allowed little time for personal enjoyment. The term gained wider recognition peaking in search traffic in early 2021 after being popularised on social media platforms such as Twitter and TikTok.

Although the term "revenge" is a relatively new addition and we know of no scales to measure the phenomenon, research on bedtime procrastination has been around since 2014, when Kroese and colleagues introduced a 9-item scale Bedtime Procrastination Scale (BPS) to measure the phenomenon.

The RBPS

The Revenge Bedtime Procrastination Scale (RBPS) has been adapted and extended from the Bedtime Procrastination Scale (BPS; Kroese et al., 2014) by Dr. Jason Wessel.

The RBPS breaks down the BPS into delay and self-regulation failure factors, and includes an additional 9 (18 total) questions related to revenge and numbing.

This scale is an extension of the BPS that seeks to measure Revenge Bedtime Procrastination across the four functional dimensions:

1. Reported delay in bed time compared to the intended bed time,
2. evidence that the delay is related to failure in self-regulation rather than extrinsic factors, and
3. that the delay is due to a need for revenge for lacking control over time.
4. The fourth factor, numbing, is thought to be less related to the broader construct of RBP, but a strong behavioural correlate related to the dysfunctional 'harm' component of procrastination (see here). That is, if you are working on your hobbies at night instead of 'numbing', then we might not deem your delay in bed time to be entirely dysfunctional or even procrastination.

The above dimensions are derived from our clinical work with procrastinators. We reason that better understanding the factors influencing your bedtime procrastination can help you direct your efforts to curb your behaviour to where they will be most impactful.

This assessment is provided here for education and self-insight purposes only. 

To reference the RBPS, please cite: Wessel, J (2023). Revenge Bedtime Procrastination Scale. Unpack Psychology