A survey on procrastination in medical students and path analysis on its influencing factors

Abstract

Objective To understand the situation of procrastination and its influencing factors in medical students. Methods The general procrastination scale(GPS), general self-efficacy scale(GSES), achievement motivation scale(AMS), self-esteem scale(SES), self-rating depression scale(SDS) and self-rating anxiety scale(SAS) were applied to 531 medical students, and the influence factors were analyzed with correlation analyses, hierarchical regression and path analysis of SPSS 16.0 and Amos 5.0. Results (1) The scale score of procrastination was between 31-93 and the average score was 55.54±9.68. 96.1% students showed different degree procrastination, with the moderate-severe degree ones accounted for 45.3%. (2)Procrastination was positively correlated to anxiety(r=0.331) and depression(r=0.415), but negatively correlated with self-efficacy(r=-0.247) and self-esteem(r=-0.328). (3)The hierarchical regression revealed that self-efficacy, self-esteem, and depression could significantly predict procrastination, which increased the explained variance 6.1%, 6.1% and 6.3% respectively. (4) Path analysis showed that the self-esteem had direct effect on procrastination (path coefficient 0.12); self-efficacy had indirect effect on procrastination through self-esteem (path coefficient 0.21). Depression had direct effect on procrastination (path coefficient 0.34) and indirect effect to the procrastination through the self-esteem (path coefficient 0.50). All the fitting indices reached statistical standards. Conclusion Procrastination was common in medical students and self-efficacy, self-esteem, depression had direct or indirect effect on it. Key words: Procrastination; Self-efficacy; Self-esteem; Depression; Path Analysis; Medical students