Abstract
Studies in recent years have shown that academic procrastination in postgraduates is very common and has a negative impact on their mental health. Therefore, we conducted this study to explore the influencing mechanism of postgraduate academic procrastination. In this study, based on the Temporal Decision Model (TDM) of procrastination and the strength model of self-control, we administered a questionnaire survey to 577 full-time postgraduates (351 females, 226 males) to explore the influence mechanisms and gender differences of motivational and volitional factors on academic procrastination. Our results indicated significant differences in academic self-efficacy between females and males. Academic self-efficacy was positively correlated with academic self-control and negatively correlated with academic procrastination; academic self-control was negatively correlated with academic procrastination. Academic self-control had a completely mediating effect in the influence of academic self-efficacy on academic procrastination. Gender variables moderated the influence of academic self-efficacy on academic self-control and thus significantly moderated the mediating effect of academic self-control. Specifically, academic self-control had a stronger mediating effect between academic self-efficacy and academic procrastination for female postgraduates. Our findings may provide guidance for postgraduates who exhibit academic procrastination and extend the theory of academic procrastination.
Highlights
Procrastination means that, in spite of their knowledge of negative effects, people choose to delay their schedules (Sirois et al, 2003)
Based on the significant gender differences in academic self-efficacy, self-control, and procrastination found in previous studies, we investigated whether gender variables could moderate the influence of academic self-efficacy on academic self-control and the influence of academic selfefficacy on academic self-control
This study found that academic self-control played a completely mediating role between academic self-efficacy and academic procrastination, which revealed the influence of academic self-efficacy on academic procrastination
Summary
Procrastination means that, in spite of their knowledge of negative effects, people choose to delay their schedules (Sirois et al, 2003). Because individuals know that procrastination can lead to negative consequences and still choose to delay, procrastination has negative effects on emotions, academic performance (Stead et al, 2010), social achievements, subjective well-being (Gueorguieva, 2011), sleep quality (Przepiorka et al, 2019), and even physical health (Klingsieck, 2013). Academic procrastination is commonly seen among middleschool, high-school, and college students (Ghosh and Roy, 2017; Ziegler and Opdenakker, 2018; Li et al, 2019), and it produces many adverse effects such as negative emotions, anxiety and depression, lower learning efficiency, lower academic self-esteem, and academic pressure. Postgraduates may have more opportunity to procrastinate; it has been demonstrated that more than 70% of graduate students procrastinate academically (Hu, 2008). We explored the influencing mechanism of academic procrastination in postgraduates in order to provide intervention or guidance for such students
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