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PROCRASTINATION AND STRESS
The Influence Procrastination Has on Stress
Abstract
Introduction
Realistic, the typical daily life of a college/university can be a legitimately hectic. For many students juggle between work, personal life, as well as school life. The present-day student has plenty of tasks, projects, and assignments that are associated with certain upcoming deadlines. Yet, it can be an overwhelming day to day life. Students tend to delay many of their task just to get that moment of relief. Although a person can plan his/her time and resources, often, due to constant stress and multitasking, one often postpones the execution of some tasks for future use. (Saplavska & Jerkunkova, 2018). Procrastination is the act of voluntarily postponing something that has negative consequences. (Procrastination, 2016). Academic procrastination is a process that occurs when you always or almost always postpone your study assignments. It is most pronounced when you are doing routine tasks such as preparing for an exam. (Saplavska & Jerkunkova, 2018). Academic procrastination also affects students’ psychological and physical health because it constitutes the outcomes explored with poor health-related conditions. Procrastination is associated with increased academic stress following that it contributes to the students delay in handling tasks or assessments. (Tori & Wijaya, 2018). With the most recent study academic procrastination is defined as behavior that can negatively affect a person’s academic performance. This issue has been identified as a major concern for students. (Zarrin, Gracia, & Paixao, 2020). Procrastination enhances self-compassion, which enhances academic failure since it contributes to self-critical pain rather than promoting self-regulation based on concepts that minimize academic stress. The concept of procrastination consumes a lot of students time following that it enhances self blames and the negative reaction towards staying self-relevant to build academic proficiency.
Avoiding of task
Procrastination is a complex topic. It involves various components such as emotional states, cognitive states, and behavioral states. (Moonagh & Beydoktni, 2017) College students have varying responsibilities and deadlines. This makes it difficult to determine which tasks and deadlines should be handled by the student. Having a comprehensive view of a student’s workload is also important to ensure that they get the most out of their academic life. (Korstange, Craig, & Duncan, 2019) Tori and Wijaya study mentioned most of the time, student reported having high levels of procrastination when it comes to writing a paper, studying for tests, and weekly reading assignment. The other areas of academic task that perceptible to this behavior were also problematic. (Tori & Wijaya, 2018). The idea of procrastination enhances academic stress since the self-reflectors spend more time engaging in the thoughts about failing to complete the previous assignments instead of working on the ongoing tasks to improve their academic level. Procrastination traits influence the negative automatic thought production, enabling one to think about the past resemblance of rumination based on cognitions and behaviors (Pidgeon, McGrath, Magya, Stapletor, & Y. Lo, 2014). Procrastination promotes the actions that deter individuals from completing their academic goals since it breeds distress and self-evaluation. Self-compassion involves the characteristics of a remaining kind to oneself while recognizing imperfection following the isolation of anxiety and depression.
Stress from other sources of life
University/ College student have many responsibilities that compete for their time. Various of burdens of working part or full-time, extracurricular activities, social life, along with family responsibilities. (Korstange, Craig, & Duncan, 2019).While some of these are important, such as studying, writing, and managing their time, focusing on one’s workload is not ideal. Different students face different problems due to the different living arrangements and living away from the family. Moonaghi & Beydokhi (2019) study mentioned one of the courses that students tend to procrastinate is medical sciences, especially nursing. The goals of clinical practice for nurses are to improve their skills in critical thinking and communication. This aspect has taken time out of their studies, which is a negative factor on academic procrastination for them (Moonagh & Beydoktni, 2017). (Guideline 6.4). Academic procrastination is a serious obstacle to achieving goals and achieving success in school. It can also be prevented through the enhancement of one’s abilities to set and maintain goals and priorities. (Saplavska & Jerkunkova, 2018)
Lack of Energy and Low-Self Esteem
A wide variety of studies shows different reason on why college/university student procrastinate. A study from Steel & Gröpel (2008) show that energy, both boredom and lack of energy playing a role in procrastination with a mean of 3.94 (Steel & Gröpel , 2008). According to the literature, a motivational force is necessary to maintain the uncompleted intentions of people. This energy helps them carry out their performance under certain circumstances. (Steel & Gröpel , 2008). Procrastination dominates many varieties of negative consequences such as the increases of students’ stress levels. (Thakkar, 2009). Various studies have revealed that procrastination is caused by various factors. Some of these include fear of failure, low self-efficacy, and self-regulatory failure. (Smoletz, 2019). Many nontraditional students have difficulty balancing work and family responsibilities. They may also be prone to low motivation due to situational factors such as financial difficulties. (Santelli, Robertson, Larson, & Humphrey, 2020). Students who battle with academic procrastination characterized by poor sleep, lack of time, stress, and anxiety. It can also be caused by various factors such as: improper completion of assignments, self-blame, and depression. (Zarrin, Gracia, & Paixao, 2020).
Procrastination enhances academic stress following that it contributes to building the low levels of mindfulness that promotes the actions of meditation without the self-resilience that enable one to concentrate on learning activity sufficiently (Lodha, Sharma, Dsouza, Sousa, 2019). Procrastination enhances the self-relationship that enhances the appropriate self-defeating behaviors among the students that interfere with their learning. Procrastination constitutes a negative feeling about self since it raises the efficiency of one feeling outshined in classwork and thus fails to work hard for positive development.
Concept of Procrastination
The concept of procrastination enhances poor performance in classwork since it makes individuals feel unworthy to endure the competition in line with classwork, thus lowering their grades. The students commonly affected with procrastination conditions experience higher or increased levels of stress and guilt that denies them the opportunity to perform better in class through sharing knowledge with other students (Thakkar, 2009). Procrastinations influence students’ actions such as depression and anxiety that deprive them of attending classwork and concentrating sufficiently. Procrastination constitutes the development of poor work ethics related to performance since it deprives students of thinking critically to develop their academic careers and subjects. For instance, procrastinating students experience a high level of untidy work, poor work format, and insufficient time management competencies.
According to the study, procrastination adds a lot of stress to the students since a wide range of events thus ends up being frustrating, which causes guilt to students, stress and even anxiety (Riolli, Savicki & Richards, 2012). For instance, in many cases, procrastination results in students emerging into challenging and even serious concerns such as developing low self-esteem reduces one’s self-confidence, which later on becomes challenging and problematic for students to adjust or overcome. Procrastination causes the student to stress because when individuals are much stressed, they put everything off, resulting in accumulation due to procrastination (Santelli, Robertson & Humphrey, 2020). In response, in such a situation, one feels depressed, stressed and opts to put everything down and later develops anxiety for strongly thinking that the portions left undone have to be done within the set of times.
The study intents to shows that frequent academic procrastination always results in dysfunctional learning results for many students, including poor academic performance due to poor concentration out of stress. As a result of poor performance, the student develops stress by lowering one well-being (Zarrin & Gracia, 2020). Therefore, the effect of academic procrastination on student stress levels includes health and normal school grade performance. For instance, under factual circumstances, it is clear that students who procrastinate have a higher chance of getting disappointed, such as students from high school (Bu, & Wang, 2021). The moment student’s changes the lever from one institute to the other and start receiving daily assignments. These students always procrastinate until final minutes have higher chances of receiving poor grades than their peers who do not procrastinate (Nayak, 2019). As a result, students tend to develop a cycle of insignificant grades and lower self-esteem and confidence, which is challenging to overcome fully. The grades begin to affect the students’ post-secondary chances, resulting in even more stressful circumstances and frustrations.
For the student to promote and adjust the performance level and avoid stress caused by procrastination, one is supposed to build confidence, create effective and dedicated study habits, learn to eat healthy food, set efficient and clear goals, learn to make project plans and follow them, and establish effective study skills. Therefore, assisting students in improving their ways of learning plays a significant role by helping to avoid procrastination effects caused by academics since it always motivates them to work smart (Korstange, Craig & Duncan, 2019). Also, one should learn to help students complete their assignments on time to reduce stress caused by the bulkiness of schoolwork, putting procrastination to an end. University students are more likely to procrastinate due to the transition they have undergone while changing environments from high schools, thus taking time before they adapt to the academic challenges causing a high level of stress.
Method
Participants
Participants who responded were general students. Participants recruited from a general intro psychology course from a public university in the Midwest United States through convenient sampling method. The student who participates will be given a compensated extra credit. All participants will complete an online survey to be a part of the study. A total of 62 participants. The total of 5 participants did not complete the survey. The total sample size included in the study was (###).In order for all participants to maintain their confidentially during recruitment/screening participants made the decision whether they will take the survey to ensure their privacy will be protected.
(###) undergraduates in the United States alone participated in this study. There was also an estimated of (###) participants that were graduate students. (###) of the participants were freshman, (###) sophomore, (###) juniors, (###) seniors, and (###) graduate students. When it came to gender there were (###) females, (###) males, (###) non-binary /third gender, and (###) prefer not to say. Within this study the mean age of participants were (###) (SD = ##). There was a great variety of participants with different racial and ethnic: African American (###), White/Euro-American (###), Hispanic or Latino/Latina (###), Native American (###), Asian/ Pacific Islander (###), Other (###). There were a great number of participants that were (#####) majors. See Figure 1.
Table 1. (Guideline 11.10) Descriptive Statistics and demographics(N=57)
Descriptive
n
Percentage (%)
Min.
Max
Gender
Male
13
22.4%
Female
Non-binary/third gender
44
1
75.9%
1.7%
Age(years)
Mean
23.09
31.4%
18
60
Year in School
Freshman
23
39.7%
Sophomore
8
13.8%
Junior
6
10.3%
Senior
21
36.2%
Major
Psychology
15
25.8%
Biology
7
12%
Nursing
10
17.2%
Business
8
13.7%
Other
18
31%
Measures
Participants completed two different measures to assess procrastination and stress levels. Academic procrastination within participants were measured by using a Procrastination assessment scale for students which was constructed by Solomon and Rothblum in (1984).
Academic Procrastination (Guideline 9.13.1
The procrastination assessment scale for students measuring the frequency in which students procrastinate on a 12-item five-point Likert-scale. Participants were asked to rate the level of procrastination when it came to writing a term paper, studying for exams, keeping up with reading assignments, academic administrative tasks (such as filling out forms and registering for classes), attendance tasks (meeting with your advisor), and school activities in general. Each category was measured on a five-point Likert-scale: Never, Almost, Sometimes, Nearly Always, and Always. Moreover, participants were asked to describe some of the excuses that come to mind when procrastinating such as, You had a hard time knowing what to include and what not to include in your paper, and You were worried you would get a bad grade. (Solomon & Rothblum, 1984). The description of the excuses was also rated from not at all reflects why I procrastinate, somewhat reflects/neutral, to definitely reflects why I procrastinated.
Stress
The stress scale were created to measure how stressful various situations are in one’s life. It were designed to identify areas where people tend to get overwhelmed. The Perceived Stress Scale(refence) was used to measure college/university students’ perception of stress. Using PSS (procrastination and stress level) to determine how unpredictable, uncontrollable, and overloaded student might find their lives to be. Participants’ results were also measured on a Likert-scales from never, almost never, sometimes, fairly often, very often.
Procedure
Each participant participating in the study were identified via random sampling through social media platforms via Instagram, Twitter, Sona System, and Snap Chat. A demographic questionnaire were used to collect data such as age, gender, and study year. A procrastination and stress scale were used to assess procrastination among the students. The participants asked to participate in an online survey through Qualtrics, a tool used to create online questionnaires and surveys. All participants who partake in the online study took it voluntarily. Before participants begins the survey, they will first read a consent form. The survey all participants were given was written in English. All participants are aware that their information were kept confidential. After the competition of the research, all data will be deleted. Each participant’s identity will be protected.
Results
(Guideline 11.5) A positive correlation were proven to be shown between academic procrastination and stress. In this experiment, student stress is measured by academic procrastination. Which were proven that procrastination will increase within university/college students’ stress levels. Table 1 (Guideline 11.11) shows the mean and the standard deviation of data from university/college students stress levels as well as academic procrastination. Perceived Stress Scale data indicated that student stress levels were high. (M= 21.9, SD=7.4) (Guideline 11.8). Participants scored high on the procrastination Assessment Scale- Student (M=98.9, SD=25.9)
Table 1. Mean standard deviations of PSS and PASS (N=57)
Variables
Mean
SD
PSS
PASS
PSS
21.9
7.4
Pearson Correlation
1
Sig. (2-tailed)
N
57
PASS
98.9
25.9
Pearson Correlation
.443**
1
Sig. (2-tailed)
<.001
N
57
57
**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).
Table 1 the results were statistically significant, moderately positive correlation is found between the two variables PSS and PASS r (55) = .443, p< 0.001. This indicates that these two variables are totally depending on each other, with PASS explaining 19% variations in the PSS. This result proves that procrastination and students stress levels are positively related to each other. In order to decrease the students stress level we must deal with procrastination of students positively.
Table 2. Comparison of procrastination and perceived stress
Variable
1
2
3
4
Procrastination Score
Pearson Correlation
1
.474*
.461
.256
Sig. (2-tailed)
.035
.063
.290
N
20
17
19
Low Stress
Pearson Correlation
1
.904**
.830**
Sig. (2-tailed)
<.001
<.001
N
17
19
Med Stress
Pearson Correlation
1
.886**
Sig. (2-tailed)
<.001
N
17
High Stress
Pearson Correlation
1
Sig. (2-tailed)
N
*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed).
**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).
The results in Table 2 are statistically significant at 0.05% level of significance, moderately positive correlation is found between the procrastination and stress level r(18) = .474 = 0.035, with procrastination explaining 22.46% variation in the stress level. There was also a statistically significant at 0.01% level of significance, high levels of stress positive correlation in found between procrastination and low stress level r(15) = .904 = 0.063, with procrastination explaining 81.72% variation in low stress level. Within results are statistically significant at 0.01 level of significance, high positive correlation between Low stress level and Procrastination is found r(17) = .830 = 0.290, with procrastination explaining 68% variation in low stress level.
The results are statistically significant at 0.01% level of significance, high positive correlation between Medium stress Level and Procrastination is found r(17) = .886, p< 0.001, with Medium stress level explaining 78% variation in Procrastination.
Figure 1.
This bar chart explains the procrastination and stress level in a student. The statistical tests proved that procrastination and levels of stress (low, medium and high) are correlated significantly. Procrastination is slightly higher in students with Low stress level. Procrastination is slightly lower in students in students with Medium stress level. Procrastination is slightly lower in students with higher level of stress. (Whole results section need structure)
Discussion (Guideline 12.1)
The intent of this research was to contribute to developing knowledge and understand the nature between academic procrastination and perceived stress. (Guideline 12.3) A positive correlation was expected to be found between the two variables. Considering procrastination will cause an increase within university/college students’ stress levels. Benefiting from self-reporting instruments and scrutinizing the relationship between the two.
Academic procrastination has arisen from multiple different reasons. (Guideline 12.4) Students have varying responsibilities and deadlines The present-day students tend to delay many of their task just to get that moment of relief. Although a person can plan his/her time and resources, often, due to constant stress and multitasking, one often postpones the execution of some tasks for future use. (Saplavska & Jerkunkova, 2018). With the findings of effects of academic procrastination on students’ stress levels. A prevalence of 73.7% of students procrastinates, which was higher than expected. This figure happens to differ from the findings of previous reported by Solomon et al. (1984) showed that 46% of students regularly procrastinate. It is also notable that this study had the highest extensive of academic procrastination.
(Guideline 12.5)
The study was limited to self-reports. Also, the measures within the surveys were not designed to measure the individual’s observable procrastination behavior. Most participants preferred to avoid passive procrastination, even those who were categorized as active procrastinators. This preference should be used to identify individuals who have high levels of active procrastinating.
. Most of the participants in this study have a cultural background. This study aims to identify the cultural factors that influence procrastination.
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