The role of passion for studies on academic procrastination and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic

Tomorrow Never Comes: The Risks of Procrastination for Adolescent Health

This study explores the relationship between procrastination and declining healthy habits among adolescents, a topic lacking systematic reviews in the existing literature. The primary purpose is to lay the groundwork for promoting mental health and preventing procrastination as risky behavior. This systematic review examined five areas related to procrastination and its influence on healthy lifestyle habits in adolescents: technology and procrastination; sleep and procrastination; academic procrastination; and the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings highlight that technology misuse is linked with procrastination; adolescents tend to procrastinate when going to sleep; academic procrastination negatively impacts long-term educational achievements, and the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated this phenomenon. Ultimately, it is concluded that procrastination is related to all these aspects and has detrimental effects on adolescents' physical and psychological development.

The mediating role of cognitive test anxiety on the relationship between academic procrastination and subjective wellbeing and academic performance

Background

Promoting wellness as a predictor of sustainable development empowers schools to model healthy behavior. The multiple interactions in real and virtual environments that today's youth are subjected to force schools to explore effective educational strategies to provide a quality education for students and their families.

Purpose

This study examines the relationship between academic procrastination, assessment anxiety, subjective wellbeing, and academic performance.

Methods

A convenience sample of 322 undergraduate students () was used, and questionnaires were administered to students measuring academic procrastination, cognitive test anxiety, and subjective wellbeing. For the same target group, the level of academic performance was identified using personal reports. The questionnaires were administered between May and June 2023 in an online format. For the data analysis, we applied correlational analysis and path analysis using.

Results

Both test anxiety and academic procrastination negatively correlate with performance and subjective wellbeing, leading to decreased performance and subjective wellbeing. Procrastination correlates positively with test anxiety. Cognitive test anxiety partially mediated the relationship between academic procrastination and subjective wellbeing and fully mediated the relationship between academic procrastination and academic performance. Thus, high procrastination leads to decreased performance and subjective wellbeing both directly and indirectly through increased test anxiety, leading to decreased performance and subjective wellbeing.

Significance/discussions

As a result of theoretical and practical investigations, it emerges that joint action of educational actors is required in the generation of effective educational strategies for the prevention and control of procrastination and evaluation anxiety, given the fact that both a high level of procrastination as well as assessment anxiety led to the decrease of students' wellbeing, to the registration of low academic performances. In the long term, disruptive behavior (procrastination and anxious behavior) could generate low social and professional performance, which is a research question for a future longitudinal study.

A study on the influence of academic passion on PhD students' research engagement-The role of ambidextrous learning and academic climate

The engagement in research, as the primary form of learning engagement for PhD students, is crucial for enhancing their competitive edge. Academic passion, a key determinant of learning engagement, plays a significant role in driving the research enthusiasm of PhD students. However, the "black box" concerning whether and how academic passion influences PhD students' research engagement remains to be explored. Addressing this gap, the present study draws upon self-determination theory, adopts the "motivation-behavior-effect" analytical framework, and incorporates ambidextrous learning as a mediator to elucidate the specific pathway through which academic passion impacts PhD students' engagement in research activities. Furthermore, it examines the facilitating role of the academic climate in this process. From December 2022 to March 2023, a questionnaire survey was conducted, collecting 522 responses from PhD students across 25 universities in China. The survey primarily assessed the PhD students' academic passion, ambidextrous learning behaviors (including tendencies towards exploratory and exploitative learning), and their perceived academic climate, investigating how these factors collectively influence their engagement in research activities. The questionnaire data were analyzed using a combination of SEM and bootstrapping with SPSS 26.0 and Mplus 8.3 software. The findings reveal that academic passion significantly positively affects PhD students' research engagement; ambidextrous learning (exploratory and exploitative learning) mediates the relationship between academic passion and PhD students' research engagement; and the academic climate effectively facilitates the transformation of PhD students' academic passion into ambidextrous learning (exploratory and exploitative learning). The study's conclusions not only foster PhD students' enthusiasm for research but also enhance learning effectiveness and innovation vitality, providing a theoretical basis for reforming the doctoral training system.

Psychological Characteristics of Students with Passion for Studying

Passion for studying can be considered a significant factor that promotes well-being and mental health in students. This study aimed to examine whether the psychological characteristics of students with a passion for studying differed from those of students without one. To compare these two groups, we used a set of different psychological variables (e.g., academic burnout and vitality), as well as integrated both person-centered (i.e., group comparison research) and variable-centered (i.e., correlational analysis) approaches. During classes, one hundred and fifty-four students from a Polish university completed a comprehensive set of short self-report questionnaires online on different psychological characteristics, including variables related to studying (i.e., passion for studying, academic burnout, and general academic self-efficacy), psychopathology symptoms, perceived stress and somatic complaints, as well as personal resources (vitality, resilience, self-esteem, and optimism). We noted multiple statistically significant differences in psychological characteristics between the two studied groups of students. Thus, harmonious passionate students tended to have more favorable psychological characteristics within variables related to studying, mental or somatic health symptoms, and personal resources compared to the non-passionate students. A harmonious passion for studying seems to have potential health-promoting and health-protecting effects, whereas a lack of passion for studying may lead to less favorable outcomes.

Harmonious passion and academic achievement in higher education: The mediating influence of exploratory and exploitative learning strategies

Harmonious passion refers to engaging in an activity out of personal volition and sense of meaning, which motivates individuals to devote substantial time and energy while internalizing the activity as part of their identity, and it underpins the promotion of sustainable behaviors and mindsets. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between harmonious passion and academic achievement among university students in higher education, as well as the mediating role of exploratory and exploitative learning behaviors in this association. Exploratory learning involves seeking new knowledge and skills, whereas exploitative learning involves refining and applying existing knowledge and skills. Data were collected from 528 university students across multiple institutions in China. Using structural equation modeling and multiple regression analysis, results revealed that harmonious passion had a significant positive effect on academic achievement. Furthermore, exploratory and exploitative learning played a chain-mediated role in the relationship. These findings provide insights into how harmonious passion could promote students' academic success in the context of innovation-driven and socially sustainable development, via the facilitation of sustainable learning strategies. Therefore, this study has broader implications for personal and societal sustainability, by emphasizing the role of harmonious passion and sustainable learning strategies in enhancing academic achievement and, ultimately, contributing to a more sustainable society.

The role of academic procrastination on Internet addiction among Thai university students: A cross-sectional study

Background

The internet has become an inevitable tool for information-seeking and communication in today's modern era. However, ironically it has driven humankind to become more dependent, leading to addiction. Internet addiction has increased exponentially at all levels of society, especially university students, impeding their physical, psychological, and social well-being.

Objective

This study aimed to examine the relationship between academic procrastination and internet addiction and determine the influence of academic procrastination on internet addiction among Thai university students.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 470 participants selected through multi-stage cluster random sampling from a university in eastern Thailand. The data collection was conducted between 29 November 2022 and 27 January 2023. The data were gathered using a demographic data form, an internet addiction test, and a procrastination assessment scale for the students' questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficient, and simple linear regression were employed for data analysis.

Results

The results revealed that academic procrastination (M = 49.68, SD = 12.61) and internet addiction (M = 65.26, SD = 5.60) were at a moderate level. A positive correlation was identified between academic procrastination and internet addiction (r = 0.33, p <0.01), indicating a low relationship. Academic procrastination also had a significant predictive power on internet addiction, accounting for 11.3% of the variance (R2 adjusted = 0.113, F (1, 468) = 59.583, p <0.001).

Conclusion

The findings indicated the significant role of academic procrastination on internet addiction. Therefore, it is crucial that nurses should formulate interventions by considering this factor and emphasize self-regulatory and time-management skills and practical ways to limit internet dependence. Furthermore, the findings suggest that nurses could assess the procrastination level among students, devise prevention strategies, and organize awareness campaigns to instill information about rational internet use that aids in mitigating the risks and preventing them from getting addicted.

A predictive model of perceived stress during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in university students Ecuadorians

Background and objectives

The situation caused by the confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the mobility restriction implemented by governments worldwide had a significant impact on people's routines. Stressors are known to increase emotional imbalance, uncertainty, and frustration in the general population. This study explores the factors that predispose to the risk of perceived stress from COVID-19 and determines the underlying mediating mechanisms in the Ecuadorian population.

Method

The cross-sectional study an incidental non-probabilistic sample of n = 977 participating student volunteers from the four regions of the Republic of Ecuador (68.6% women and 31.4% men). Data on emotional regulation (ERQ), perceived stress (PSS), active procrastination (APS), diagnosis and symptoms related to COVID-19, social isolation, coexistence, and a sociodemographic questionnaire (biological sex, marital status, and age) were recruited. Statistical analysis was based on a structural equation model.

Results

The risk of suffering perceived stress in the COVID-19 pandemic was higher for single women who have lived longer in social isolation, have lived with more people, have poor emotional regulation and high rates of procrastination. This structural model is similar in all Ecuadorian regions χ² = 21.54 (p = 0.760), RMSEA = 0.001 (95%CI, 0.00-0.02), CFI = 0.998; TLI = 0.999; SRMR = 0.020.

Discussion

Although our findings are consistent and revealing for the scientific community, the lack of discrimination of the data due to strict isolation measures, taken at different periods by the Ecuadorian government against positive cases of COVID-19, is discussed. The research was applied to the university population, it would be representative to extend the study to schools and colleges.

Conclusion

We consider this work as a starting point for the creation of preventive models against perceived stress in the university environment in the event of health emergencies.

Evaluation of a dementia awareness game for undergraduate nursing students in Northern Ireland: a Pre-/Post-Test study

INTRODUCTION

Although it is possible to live well with dementia and many individuals with dementia lead active lives with the help of family, friends, and communities, the general impression of dementia is frequently negative. Dementia is a global health issue. Despite this, little research has been done on the effects of innovative dementia education strategies among undergraduate nursing students. The aim of this study was therefore to assess if this serious digital game, originally intended for the public, could increase knowledge about dementia in first-year nursing students.

METHODS

The intervention was a digital serious game called "The Dementia Game", which was available to students throughout February 2021, to a convenience sample of first-year undergraduate nursing students (n = 560) completing a BSc Honours Nursing Degree programme in one university in Northern Ireland. The game was evaluated using a pretest-posttest design. The questionnaire comprised of a 30- item true- false Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS), which covers risk factors, assessment and diagnosis, symptoms, course, life impact, caregiving and treatment and management. Data were analysed using paired t-tests and descriptive statistics.

RESULTS

Overall dementia knowledge increased significantly after playing the game. Pre-test to post-test increases were observed across a range of seven categories of dementia knowledge (life impact, risk factors, symptoms, treatment, assessment, caregiving and trajectory), with particularly large increases in knowledge of trajectory and risk factors, as shown using paired t-tests. All pre-test to post-test comparisons were significant at the p < 0.001 level.

CONCLUSIONS

A short serious digital game on dementia improved first-year student's knowledge about dementia. Undergraduate students also expressed that this approach to dementia education was effective in improving their knowledge about the disease.

The influence of stressful life events on procrastination among college students: multiple mediating roles of stress beliefs and core self-evaluations

Introduction

Few studies have documented the relationship between stressful life events and procrastination, which is a prevalent and troubling problem among college students. In this regard, the current study examined the association between stressful life events and procrastination through potential mediating effects of stress beliefs and core self-evaluations.

Methods

A cross-sectional design was carried out and data were collected from a total of 794 Chinese college students with measures of stressful life events, core self-evaluations, stress beliefs, and procrastination.

Results

Stressful life events was positively associated with procrastination in college students. Stress beliefs and core self-evaluations played multiple mediating roles in this relationship.

Discussion

The study provided a novel perspective of finding the possible causes of procrastination in college students and highlighted the roles of stress beliefs and core self-evaluations.

Integrating the interpersonal theory of suicide and the dualistic model of passion among adults at risk for suicide

The dualistic model of passion proposes two passion types, harmonious and obsessive, representing adaptive and maladaptive passion, respectively. Studies suggest interpersonal experiences explain harmonious passion benefits and obsessive passion negative consequences. However, research has not examined passion among individuals with clinically elevated suicide risk, nor the associations between passion types and suicide-related outcomes. The present study presents a conceptual model linking the dualistic model of passion and the interpersonal theory of suicide constructs [specifically, thwarted belongingness (TB) and perceived burdensomeness (PB)]. U.S. adults with clinically elevated suicide risk (N = 484) completed online, cross-sectional assessments of harmonious and obsessive passion, TB, PB, and future dispositions (i.e., positive focus, negative focus, and suicide orientation). A mediation model indicated the effects of harmonious and obsessive passion on positive and negative focus and suicide orientation were largely explained by TB and PB. The present findings suggest engaging in a passion activity may be meaningfully related to suicide-related interpersonal perceptions (i.e., TB and PB).

Internet-based self-help intervention for procrastination: randomized control group trial protocol

BACKGROUND

Procrastination or "postponing until later" is a common phenomenon defined as the intentional delay in partaking in and finishing important activities despite negative outcomes potentially outweighing the positive. Procrastination adversely affects mental health, academic performance, and career achievement. Although studies on procrastination intervention methods and effectiveness exist, utility and cost-effectiveness are limited by various factors, including practitioner availability and skills, barriers to participant participation, and the time investment required by participants. Thus, internet-based interventions could increase the availability of evidence-based treatments for adult procrastination.

METHODS

This study explored the efficacy of an online-based self-help intervention in the context of voluntary procrastination among undergraduate psychology students. The study design is a randomized controlled trial. Participants who self-reported procrastination-related problems and behaviours were included in the trial consisting of two groups; specifically, one group undergoing a self-directed internet-based intervention for coping with procrastination (N=160) and (2) another group with delayed access to the intervention programmes (waitlist control group; N=160). Follow-up assessments were scheduled 6 and 12 weeks after baseline, and the control group received the intervention after 12 weeks. Procrastination, measured by the Irrational Procrastination Scale and the Simple Procrastination Scale, was examined as the primary outcome. Meanwhile, secondary outcomes included susceptibility, stress, depression, anxiety, well-being, self-efficacy, time management strategies, self-control, cognition, and emotion regulation. Other measures comprised acceptability (e.g., intervention satisfaction, potential side effects, and expectations) and learning behaviour analysis to reflect adherence.

DISCUSSION

This randomized controlled trial will provide data on the effectiveness of online interventions for adult procrastination. If deemed effective, this low-cost, high-coverage internet-based intervention could aid more people who seek to address their procrastination.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry.  https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=171246 .

The Mediating Role of Perceived Stress and Academic Procrastination between Physical Activity and Depressive Symptoms among Chinese College Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Depressive symptoms, a prevalent mood illness, significantly harm college students' physical and mental health. Individuals have experienced some degree of psychological harm as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Taking this into account, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between physical activity (PA) and depressive symptoms among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the mediating roles of perceived stress and academic procrastination. A total of 586 college students were subjected to the Physical Activity Scale (PARS-3), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), the Procrastination Assessment Scale-Students (PASS), and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Findings from this research demonstrated that there was a significant positive correlation between perceived stress, academic procrastination, and depressive symptoms, while PA was significantly negatively correlated with perceived stress, academic procrastination, and depressive symptoms. The results of the chain mediation analysis showed that PA had a significant direct effect on depressive symptoms. Perceived stress, academic procrastination, and perceived stress-academic procrastination had significant mediating and chain mediating effects on the relationship between PA and depressive symptoms. In conclusion, PA among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic affects their depressive symptoms directly and indirectly through the independent mediating effect of perceived stress and academic procrastination, as well as the chain mediating effect of perceived stress and academic procrastination.

Examination of non-cognitive variables affecting academic achievement: a conceptual model proposal

Psychological factors have a significant role in better understanding mechanisms that affect students' academic performance. The intense and long-term stress of the pandemic process has made it necessary to rethink the components which effect the academic achievement of pupils. The purpose of this study is to examine the variables that predict the academic achievement of university students during the pandemic process and to present a model on these variables. The study group has 241 students who continue their undergraduate education in Turkey. The data were collected with a self-description form and 6 scales. The partial Least Squares (PLS) Structural Equation Model was used to analyses the developed research model. In consequence of the study, a relationship was obtained between academic procrastination (AP) and multi-screen addiction (MSA). Covid-19 burnout has a crucial effect on AP, multiscreen addiction, and psychological well-being variables. Motivation and self regulation-attention variables are explanatory of AP. This study contributes to expanding the nomological network regarding the effects of Covid-19 on the psychological well-being and behavior of individuals.

The mediating role of general academic emotions in burnout and procrastination among Chinese medical undergraduates during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study

Background

Academic procrastination has become more prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic due to teaching/learning changes. This phenomenon induces academic burnout, which is already serious among medical students. However, the academic emotion, which is the factor most vulnerable to changes in the academic environment, is still unknown. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the mediating role of general academic emotions in procrastination and burnout among Chinese medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

This cross-sectional study enrolled 995 medical students from China Medical University. We applied the Chinese version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory Student Survey (MBI-SS), the Aitken Procrastination Inventory (API) and the General Academic Emotion Questionnaire for College Students (GAEQ) to evaluate the variables of interest. We examined the mediation effects of GAEs by hierarchical linear regression analysis.

Results

Correlation analyses showed a significant positive correlation between procrastination and burnout. Procrastination and burnout positively and negatively correlated with negative academic emotions, respectively. Hierarchical linear regression analyses showed that procrastination had positive associations with negative academic emotions, while it had negative associations with positive academic emotions. The contributions (as mediators) of GAEs to burnout and procrastination were 21.16% (NAEs), 29.75% (PAEs), 54.25% (NDEs) and 23.69% (PDEs).

Conclusions

The results indicate that academic emotions had mediating effects on procrastination and burnout. Medical students' worries about the uncertainty of the learning environment may have exacerbated academic burnout. Targeted improvements in the teaching environment to communicate encouragement and reduce anxiety and helplessness among medical undergraduates for implementing medical education while preventing and controlling the infection.

University students' profiles of burnout symptoms amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany and their relation to concurrent study behavior and experiences

Burnout symptoms are prevalent among university students. This study examined students' understudied profiles of burnout symptoms and their relation to procrastination, dropout intentions, and study- and life satisfaction. We used cross-sectional data from two online-studies conducted in Germany in April 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic (N _study1 = 597, N _study2 = 857). Latent profile analyses indicated three profiles in both studies: (1) well-functioning, (2) moderately exhausted-inefficacious, and (3) burned-out. Most students belonged to Profiles 1 and 2 with low to moderate burnout symptoms. Students in Profile 3 reported the highest symptoms, most procrastination, strongest dropout intentions, and lowest study- and life satisfaction. The distinct profiles broaden knowledge about intra-individual differences in students' burnout experiences and underpin the need for tailored interventions.

Toward a Holistic Approach to Reducing Academic Procrastination With Classroom Interventions

Although academic procrastination is prevalent, few interventions targeting it have been rigorously tested. We propose a novel approach to developing effective classroom interventions for academic procrastination, based on the ideas that changing complex behaviors requires a holistic, multipronged approach and that intervention research must embrace objective measures of procrastination behavior. We illustrate what such intervention efforts may look like by deriving some easily implementable techniques from a simple process model of self-control, which characterizes procrastination as a goal-management failure resulting from a need to repair negative emotion triggered by impending academic tasks.

Work From Home or Bring Home the Work? Burnout and Procrastination in Brazilian Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

OBJECTIVE

To investigate burnout and procrastination in a sample of Brazilian workers during the COVID-19 pandemic according to their current work mode.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study used data from an online survey conducted in 2020: 435 workers were included. The Copenhagen Burnout Inventory and the Irrational Procrastination Scale were used to access burnout and procrastination respectively.

RESULTS

There was no difference between workers working from home (WFH) and at face-to-face work regarding burnout symptoms. However, the WFH group had higher levels of procrastination. Clinically significant levels of burnout were associated with being female, increased childcare load and living with children under 12years old.

CONCLUSIONS

WFH may have more advantages than disadvantages in ideal conditions. However, work-life imbalances seem to be a key aspect regarding distress among workers WFH, especially in women with small children.

Undergraduate student nurses’ views of online learning

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic and resultant public health restrictions saw the mass movement of higher education to online, remote delivery. There was wide variation in how this was implemented, and for many undergraduate programs, this was the first time teaching was conducted remotely. The aim of this study was to explore undergraduate student nurses’ views of online learning.

Methods

Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse focus group data from undergraduate nursing students.

Findings

Two central themes described student preferences for learning environments and challenges associated with asynchronous learning. Participants reported a preference for face-to-face learning. Suggestions for optimising remote learning include an emphasis on synchronous live sessions rather than asynchronous learning, incentivised learning, and a focus on ongoing formative informal assessment to maintain engagement. Specific challenges related to poor retention, difficulty remaining motivated, and maintaining focus on content and learning outcomes.

Conclusion

As more opportunities arise to engage with online pedagogies for undergraduate nursing students, educators need to ensure their approaches are evidence-based and learner-centric.

Academic Procrastination and Negative Emotions Among Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Mediating and Buffering Effects of Online-Shopping Addiction

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2019 has had a significant impact on people’s learning and their lives, including a significant increase in the incidence of academic procrastination and negative emotions. The topic of how negative emotions influences academic procrastination has been long debated, and previous research has revealed a significant relationship between the two. The purpose of this study was to further investigate the mediating and buffering effects of online-shopping addiction on academic procrastination and negative emotions.

Methods

The researchers conducted a correlation analysis followed by a mediation analysis and developed a mediation model. The study used stratified sampling and an online questionnaire as the data collection method. In this study, first, five freshmen students at vocational and technical colleges in Guangdong Province, China, were called to distribute the questionnaire. Second, after communicating with them individually, first-year students of Guangdong origin were selected as participants. Finally, 423 freshman students participated by completing the questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of 4 parts: demographic information, an online-shopping-addiction scale, an academic-procrastination scale and a negative-emotions scale. A total of 423 students, 118 males (27.9%) and 305 females (72.1%) from 10 vocational and technical colleges in Guangdong were surveyed. SPSS 25.0 was used to process and analyze the data. The data collected were self-reported.

Results

The results showed that: first, academic procrastination was significantly and positively associated with online-shopping addiction (r = 0.176, p < 0.01). Second, academic procrastination was significantly and positively associated with negative emotions (r = 0.250, p < 0.01). Third, online-shopping addiction was significantly and positively associated with negative emotions (r = 0.358, p < 0.01). In addition, academic procrastination had a significant positive predictive effect on online-shopping addiction (β = 0.1955, t = 3.6622, p < 0.001). Online-shopping addiction had a significant positive predictive effect on negative emotions (β = 0.4324, t = 7.1437, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

This study explored the relationship between students’ academic procrastination, negative emotions, and online-shopping addiction during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results indicated that students’ level of academic procrastination positively influenced their level of online-shopping addiction and negative emotions, and their level of online-shopping addiction increased their negative emotions. In addition, there was a mediating effect between the degree of participants’ online-shopping addiction and their degree of academic procrastination and negative emotions during the pandemic. In other words, with the mediating effect of online-shopping addiction, the higher the level of a participant’s academic procrastination, the more likely that the participant would have a high score for negative emotions.