The Role of Metacognitive Beliefs in Predicting Academic Procrastination Among Students in Iran: Cross-sectional Study

BACKGROUND: Academic procrastination is a challenge that many students face. Metacognitive beliefs are the main cause of academic procrastination because they are one of the main reasons for students' academic failure or progress. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine whether and to what extent academic procrastination could be predicted based on students’ metacognitive beliefs. METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study involved 300 students selected via stratified random sampling. Data were collected using the Procrastination Assessment Scale for Students and the Metacognition Questionnaire-30. The data analysis was done using the Pearson correlation coefficient and regression analysis to estimate the correlation coefficient and predictability of academic procrastination based on metacognitive beliefs. RESULTS: A significant negative correlation was observed between the subscale of positive beliefs of concern and academic procrastination (r=–0.16; P<.001). In addition, the metacognitive beliefs of the participants predicted 10% of academic procrastination. The component of positive metacognitive beliefs with the β value of 0.45 negatively and significantly predicted the students’ academic procrastination (P<.001), whereas the component of negative metacognitive beliefs with the β value of .39 positively and significantly predicted the students’ academic procrastination (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Metacognitive beliefs can predict students' academic procrastination. Therefore, the modification of metacognitive beliefs to reduce procrastination is suggested.