Academic procrastination: cross-sectional study at a private college
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14571/brajets.v18.n4.1405-1414Keywords:
Procrastination, Academic Failure, Universities, Academic PerformanceAbstract
Introduction: Procrastination is the voluntary act of delaying the execution of a task, either postponing its start or prolonging its completion. Objective: This article aimed to analyze procrastination among students from all degrees at the Faculty of Health Sciences of Unaí - FACISA. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional quantitative research. Data collection took place from October to November 2023 with a questionnaire composed of demographic questions; the Academic Procrastination Motives Scale (EMPA); and an evaluation of the most common feelings when procrastinating. Data analysis consisted of descriptive statistics with presentation of absolute and relative frequencies, mean, and standard deviation with a 95% confidence interval (CI95%). Results: The study included 251 students from the Psychology, Nursing, Veterinary Medicine, Pharmacy, and Physiotherapy courses. There was a higher participation of women and the average age of participants was 23.61 years (SD=6.05). Participants reported feeling anxiety and guilt when procrastinating. Women showed higher average procrastination scores in the items “assignments” (3.70; SD=1.51), “exercises” (3.22; SD=1.14), and “studying” (3.19; SD=1.19), while men obtained higher averages in the item “exams” (3.50; SD=1.43). The main reasons for procrastination were fatigue, lack of time, and laziness. Conclusion: Thus, this study contributes to understanding the dynamics of procrastination in the academic environment and highlights the need for targeted strategies to mitigate this detrimental behavior in higher education.
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