Investigating the Relationship of Test Anxiety and Time Management with Academic Procrastination in Students of Health Professions

Abstract

Academic procrastination is a harmful phenomenon among students and has many negative consequences. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship of test anxiety and time management with academic procrastination in students of health professions. The population of this correlational study consisted of 281 Iranian students of health professions. The Tuckman Procrastination Scale, Time Management Scale, and Sarason’s Test Anxiety Scale were used to measure the variables. Pearson’s correlation and multivariate regression tests were also performed. The mean score of students’ academic procrastination was higher than the average level. A significantly negative correlation was found between time management and academic procrastination (r = −0.487, $P$  ≤ 0.01). Additionally, there was a significantly positive correlation between test anxiety and academic procrastination (r = 0.443, $P$  ≤ 0.01). The linear regression model indicated that independent predictors including time management and test anxiety accounted for 32.6% of the variation in academic procrastination (R2 = 32.6%). The findings of this study indicated that test anxiety and time management were associated with academic procrastination. Therefore, purposeful educational and psychological interventions are required to reduce academic procrastination in students.