“I’ll stop procrastinating now!” Fostering specific processes of self-regulated learning to reduce academic procrastination

Abstract

Academic procrastination is considered to be a result of self-regulation failure having detrimental effects on students' well-being and academic performance. In the present study, we developed and evaluated a group training that aimed to reduce academic procrastination. We based the training on a cyclical process model of self-regulated learning, thus, focusing on improving deficient processes of self-regulated learning among academic procrastinators (e.g., time management, dealing with distractions). The training comprised five sessions and took place once a week for 90 min in groups of no more than 10 students. Overall, 106 students completed the training. We evaluated the training using a comprehensive control group design with repeated measures (three points of measurement); the control group was trained after the intervention group's training. The results showed that our training was successful. The trained intervention group significantly reduced academic procrastination and improved specific processes of self-regulated learning (e.g., time management, concentration), whereas the untrained control group showed no change regarding these variables. After the control group had also been trained, the control group also showed the expected favorable changes. The students rated the training overall as good and found it recommendable for procrastinating friends. Hence, fostering self-regulatory processes in our intervention was a successful attempt to support students in reducing academic procrastination. The evaluation of the training encourages us to adapt the training for different groups of procrastinators.

Contributions of Positive Psychology in Self-Regulated Learning: A Study With Brazilian Undergraduate Students

“…As for academic performance in particular, the data found and the literature suggest SRL is related to academic adaptation. That highlights the importance of higher education institutions to provide an environment that promotes SRL strategies since low SRL levels are associated with lower student motivation, with increased intention to drop out, especially in the 1st year, and higher levels or procrastination (Zoltowski et al, 2016;Correia and Moura Júnior, 2017;Grunschel et al, 2018). Taking into account the positive attributes investigated, the results indicate all PP constructs assessed in the present study were significantly correlated with SRL, matching the hypothesis by the authors.…”

Differences in Learning Characteristics Between Students With High, Average, and Low Levels of Academic Procrastination: Students’ Views on Factors Influencing Their Learning

“…During this reflection phase, the student attempts to understand why a certain result occurred and manages his or her emotions with respect to this result. In each of the self-regulation phases, procrastination problems can occur Grunschel et al (2018) . For example in the first phase, students with low levels of self-efficacy (e.g., Waschle et al, 2014 ) and deficient time management and goal-setting skills ( Lay and Schouwenburg, 1993 ) have more procrastination problems.…”

The Effect of Procrastination on Academic Performance of Online Students at a Hispanic Serving Institution

“…Considering these findings, Arnott and Dacko's (2014) suggestion that procrastination be addressed in first year students might help alleviate this tendency. Grunschel, Patrzek, Klingsieck & Fries (2018) found that procrastinators who completed a five-week group training based on a cyclical process model of self-regulated learning significantly reduced academic procrastination and reported improved time management skills.…”