Relationship between self-esteem, self-efficacy and academic procrastination among medical students

INTRODUCTION: Recent studies proved that academic procrastination is a very common pervasive problem that has a negative impact on general well-being, causing distress, anxiety, remorse and unhappiness. It could also result in poor academic performance and negatively affect students’ satisfaction with themselves and their academic life. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to explore the influence of self-esteem and self-efficacy on academic procrastination among Tunisian medical students. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study among medical students from Tunisia. Data were collected through an anonymous online questionnaire, exploring sociodemographic characteristics, the “Tuckman Procrastination Scale” (TPS), the “Rosenberg’s self-esteem scale” (RSES) and the “General Self-Efficacy Short Scale” (GSESS). RESULTS: A total of 133 participants completed the questionnaire. Their mean age was 26 ± 3,8 years, with a sex-ratio (F/M) of 4,5. Among them 87.2% were engaged in academic procrastination, 57,1% showed low self-esteem and 55,6% perceived themselves as non-effective. GSESS score were higher among males (p=0.019) TPS score was negatively correlated with RSES score (p<0.001; r=-0.372). RSES score was positively correlated with GSESS score (p<0.001; r=0.44). No relationship was proved between TPS and GSESS. CONCLUSIONS: Even though procrastination is most of the time considered as a maladaptive and detrimental behavior with a psychological cost, some authors consider it acting in a beneficial way, as it reflects self-reliance, autonomy and self-confidence knowing that they are able to finish their task in time. As a result, procrastination is linked to feelings of superiority and it should be recoined as “purposeful delay”. DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST: None Declared