From procrastination to frustration—How delaying tasks can affect study satisfaction and dropout intentions over the course of university studies

Abstract

Procrastination leads to obstructive consequences for students in higher education. Cross-sectional studies show that procrastination is positively associated with study dissatisfaction and students' intentions to drop out of their university degree program. However, the reciprocal effects between these variables throughout an entire university degree program are still equivocal. Drawing on a sample of N = 463 students enrolled in university teacher education and applying cross-lagged panel modelling, this is the first longitudinal study that provides evidence that procrastination leads to dissatisfaction while dissatisfaction leads to dropout intentions over the course of three years of studying, rather than the other way around. Our findings support the relevance for universities to implement effective intervention programs to help students reduce procrastination, improve their well-being, and decrease their intentions to drop out of their university degree program. Educational relevance statementThe most detrimental effects on higher education students' achievement-related behavior and well-being are due to their maladaptive learning strategies indicated by procrastination. The main goal of the present research was gaining deeper insights into the reciprocal relations between students' procrastination, study satisfaction, and dropout intentions in higher education. It should be noted that the reciprocal effects between these variables throughout an entire university degree program are still equivocal. In this study, we examined individual differences in the longitudinal and possibly reciprocal associations between procrastination, study satisfaction, and dropout intentions over the course of three years of university education. This is the first longitudinal investigation that provides evidence for the hypotheses suggesting that procrastination leads to dissatisfaction while dissatisfaction leads to dropout intentions over time, rather than the other way around. Our findings have practical implications for implementing prevention and intervention programs at universities that can assist students in decreasing procrastination, improving their well-being, and reducing their intentions to drop out of their university degree program.