Correlates of Academic Procrastination among Undergraduate Students – An Exploratory Study

Abstract

Academic procrastination is a type of dilatory behaviour which involves delaying beginning or completion of an intended course of action despite the resultant deleterious consequences.The present study aimed at examining the Big Five traits, Locus of Control, and their relationship with academic procrastination in undergraduate students.The present study employed a quantitative, exploratory research approach with a cross-sectional survey design to assess the degree of academic procrastination, Locus of Control and the Big Five traits using demographic datasheet, Procrastination Assessment Scale for Students (PASS), Rotter’s Locus of Control Scale (RLOC) and the Big Five Inventory (BFI) on a purposive sample of 128 undergraduate psychology students (98 females, 30 males) studying in degree colleges in Hyderabad, India. Data were analyzed using Pearson’s product-moment correlations, independent samples t-test, and stepwise regression and p-value of <0.05 was considered significant.This study found that there was no significant difference between male and female undergraduate students in the prevalence of academic procrastination. The results supported a significant relationship among locus of control, conscientiousness, neuroticism, extraversion, and academic procrastination. Academic Procrastination was associated with higher neuroticism, external locus of control and lower levels of conscientiousness and extraversion. No relationship was found among agreeableness, openness, and academic procrastination. Stepwise regression produced five models and the final model explained 11.19% of the variance of the criterion variable (R square= .12, p<.001). Conscientiousness and extraversion were found to be significant predictors of academic procrastination and predicted academic procrastination negatively. Undergraduate students with an external locus of control, lower levels of conscientiousness and extraversion, and higher levels of neuroticism exhibited greater levels of academic procrastination. The study also discussed the findings considering studies previously done and potential intervention targets.