Assessment of Procrastination Trait among Dental Students in South India

Abstract

Context: Procrastination is defined as “a trait or behavioral disposition to postpone or delay performing a task or making decisions.” It is a self-handicapping behavior that may result in loss of productivity, poor performance, and increased stress among individuals. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of procrastination trait among undergraduate and postgraduate dental students. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted among undergraduate and postgraduate students during October–November 2022 for assessing their procrastination trait. The response rate was 100%. Lay’s Procrastination Scale (LPS) – student version was used to collect the desired information. Results: The results showed that interns had significantly high procrastination prevalence (LPS score ≥60) compared to BDS final-year students and postgraduate students. The procrastination trait among males was found to be higher compared to females. Statistical Analysis: The Kruskal–Wallis test was applied to compare the mean procrastination score, and the Chi-square test was applied to determine the difference in procrastination extent. Conclusion: Procrastination has been consistently reported to exert an adverse influence on the academic performance of students, which would in turn affect the performance and the quality of work being delivered by the students. Therefore, certain active measures have to be enforced to help the students for effective time management, which would reduce the consequences of procrastination in dental education.