The Relationship between Academic Procrastination, Academic Achievement, and Self-Efficacy in Nursing Students of Tehran University of Medical Sciences

Introduction: Most college students continuously procrastinate on academic tasks. Yet, those with higher levels of self-efficacy usually consider assignments as challenges to overcome. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between academic procrastination, academic achievement, and self-efficacy in nursing students of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This cross-sectional correlation study was performed on a sample of undergraduate nursing students on semesters 3 to 6 and graduate nursing students on semesters 2 and 4 who were selected through modified cluster sampling method. Data was collected through questionnaires of procrastination assessment student scale, academic self-efficacy scale and academic achievement (grade point averages of preceding semesters). Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (Pearson correlation, ANOVA, and t-test). Results: There was a significant inverse linear relationship between self-efficacy and academic procrastination achievement in nursing students (p<0.001) so that if the academic procrastination increased, academic achievement and self-efficacy would decrease and if the academic self-efficacy increased, academic achievement would increase. Among the demographic variables, gender was more associated with academic procrastination and academic self-efficacy while age was more associated with academic achievement. Conclusion: Considering the finding that increase in academic procrastination will decrease academic achievement and self-efficacy, complementary studies are needed to investigate causes of academic procrastination and ways to improve academic achievement and self-efficacy.