Past, present, future time perspectives and maladaptive cognitive schemas: associations with student engagement and attrition rates in an online unit of study

The aim of the current study was to investigate time perspectives and maladaptive cognitive schemas as predictors of students’ academic engagement and unit withdrawal. Two hundred and sixteen students studying an online introductory unit in psychology completed an online questionnaire at the start of the unit. Their enrolment status was checked at the end of the unit. The strongest predictors of unit withdrawal were cognitive schemas and time perspectives associated with failure and hedonism. The strongest predictors of academic engagement were cognitive schemas and time perspectives associated with self-control and a focus on future outcomes. Based on these findings, psychological and pedagogical interventions aimed at increasing student engagement and reducing student attrition in online units of study are suggested.