Relationships of Academic Support and Attitude Towards Future Career with Academic Procrastination in Students: The Mediating Role of Academic Burnout

Abstract

Background: Given the negative effects of procrastination on various aspects of student’s academic and personal lives, as well as the role of psychological and environmental variables in various academic problems, this study investigated the mediating role of academic burnout in the relationship between academic support and attitude towards a future career with academic procrastination in high school students. Methods: The statistical population in this descriptive correlational study consisted of all male senior high school students in Gachsaran County, Iran, in the academic year 2021 - 2022, of whom 234 were selected as the study sample using cluster sampling. Data collection was done using the Attitude to Future Career Questionnaire, Academic Support Scale, Academic Procrastination Scale, and School Burnout Inventory. The data were analyzed statistically using the Pearson correlation coefficient and path analysis in SPSS-22 and AMOS. Results: The results showed that the direct effect of academic support on academic procrastination was statistically significant (P < 0.001). In addition, the direct effect of attitude toward the future career on academic procrastination was not significant, but its indirect effect on academic procrastination was (P < 0.001). The results also indicated the significant direct effect of attitude toward the future career on academic burnout (P < 0.001), whereas there was no significant relationship between academic support and academic burnout. Conclusions: The study findings demonstrated that academic burnout could mediate the relationship between attitude toward a future career and academic procrastination. Moreover, the research model fitted the data well. Therefore, researchers, school counselors, and child and adolescent psychologists are recommended to pay special attention to the factors affecting academic burnout when developing educational and therapeutic interventions aimed at reducing academic procrastination among students.