The Roles of Academic Self-Efficacy and Intolerance of Uncertainty on Decisional Procrastination in University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Decisional procrastination has been one of the main phenomena analysed in university students, together with self-efficacy, during the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined the roles of academic self-efficacy and intolerance of uncertainty on decisional procrastination in 318 Italian university students. Furthermore, the mediating role of the intolerance of uncertainty on the relationships between academic self-efficacy and decisional procrastination was explored. The Academic Self-Efficacy Scale, the Decisional Procrastination Scale, and the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale were used. Results: Decisional procrastination was predicted by the components of academic self-efficacy and the intolerance of uncertainty (prospective and inhibitory intolerance). Furthermore, the mediating role of the prospective intolerance of uncertainty was confirmed in the relationship between self-efficacy (self-engagement and self-oriented decision-making) and decisional procrastination. Conclusions: This study adds new evidence to findings in the analysis of the role of the intolerance of uncertainty in mitigating the relationships between the self-efficacy of students in the academic context and their tendency to procrastinate in decision-making processes, which has been poorly investigated to date by scholars in this research field. Future research will deal with a specific situation of procrastinating behaviours, such as the completion of a master’s thesis or the respect for the deadline of an article’s submission.

Reading and Writing Research Based on Surname Group in a University (2012-2023)

“…Additionally, it has been confirmed that the prospective intolerance of uncertainty plays a mediating role in the relationship between self-efficacy (specifically self-engagement and self-oriented decision-making) and decisional procrastination, as outlined in a study by Sagone and Indiana in 2023. The outcome of the multidimensional scaling analysis reveals noteworthy variations in student borrowing and book renewal patterns pre-and post-epidemic.…”

Academic self-efficacy, grit, and teacher support as predictors of psychological well-being of Chinese EFL students

“…In educational research, the academic self-efficacy of students has become a focal point of interest. Previous studies have consistently shown a positive association between academic self-efficacy and a range of favorable academic outcomes, including improved academic performance and increased engagement in the learning process ( Multon et al, 1991 ; Honicke and Broadbent, 2016 ; Huang, 2016 ; Sagone and Indiana, 2023 ). Additionally, a robust sense of academic self-efficacy has been recognized as a protective factor against the adverse impacts of academic stressors experienced by students ( Ye et al, 2018 ).…”

Investigating the Effectiveness of Motivational Interviewing on Social Anxiety and Academic Procrastination among Students

“…Procrastination in performing tasks and works has various reasons, but usually, students who procrastinate in their tasks lack sufficient cognitive and self-regulation skills, which causes their procrastination in performing their tasks. In other words, procrastination is associated with an illogical cognitive process (Popova & Pronenko, 2023;Qian & Zhao, 2018;Sagone & Indiana, 2023;Saplavska & Jerkunkova, 2018). Behind most procrastinations, there is a task or activity that the individual prefers to avoid as much as possible.…”