Self-Regulation and Academic Procrastination

TLDR

The study examined whether autonomous self‑regulation predicts academic procrastination. The authors surveyed 498 French‑Canadian junior‑college students using the Academic Motivation Scale, an academic procrastination scale, and measures of anxiety, self‑esteem, and depression. Results showed that intrinsic motivation was linked to lower procrastination, and self‑regulation explained 25% of the variance, supporting that procrastination is a motivational issue rather than merely poor time management.

Abstract

Abstract The role of autonomous self-regulation as a predictor of academic procrastination was assessed. French-Canadian students from a junior college (N = 498) completed the Academic Motivation Scale as well as an academic procrastination scale and other measures (anxiety, self-esteem, and depression) that have been found to be related to fear of failure. Correlation results indicated that students with intrinsic reasons for pursuing academic tasks procrastinated less than those with less autonomous reasons (external regulation and amotivation). Regression results indicated that the measures of depression, self-esteem, and anxiety accounted for 14% of the variance in academic procrastination, whereas the self-regulation variables accounted for 25%. These results support the notion that procrastination is a motivational problem that involves more than poor time management skills or trait laziness.