The Impact of Procrastination on Academic Self-Efficacy and Self-Esteem among University Students

Abstract

The tendency of doing task at the last minute (procrastination) is an extensively studied issue among university students and is related to several academic and psychological problems. This research focused on the assemblage of procrastination, academic self-efficacy, and self-esteem from a sample of 200 college students. Employing a correlational survey research model and standardized self-report measures, the authors found robust negative relationships between procrastination and academic self-efficacy (r = -0.55, p <. 01) and by self-esteem (r = -0. 01). A mechanism of the effect of procrastination on self-esteem was that procrastination negatively predicted academic self-efficacy, which in turn, was a negative predictor of self-esteem (direct effect: β = -.34, p <. 01). These findings would indicate that procrastinating students have less confidence in their academic abilities and are less sure of themselves, which leads to lower self-esteem. Results suggest that procrastination should be treated as more than an issue of behavior, but also a question of cognition and emotion. Emphasizing the practical implications, specific intervention programs to increase academic self-efficacy may be created as a mean of decreasing procrastination and increasing psychological well-being.