Relationship between academic procrastination and internet addiction in students

Academic procrastination is the tendency to delay or postpone academic tasks despite intending to complete them.

This behavior can lead to reduced academic performance, increased stress, and lower self-esteem.

Internet addiction may exacerbate academic procrastination by providing an easily accessible distraction, allowing students to avoid challenging tasks.

The constant availability of online entertainment and social media can make it difficult for students to focus on their studies, potentially creating a cycle of procrastination and addiction.

Rocio, D., Beatriz, R., Marlene, N., Frank, D., & D., C. (2025). Relationship between academic procrastination and internet addiction in Peruvian university students: The mediating role of academic self-efficacy. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1454234. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1454234

Key Points

• Academic self-efficacy partially mediates the relationship between internet addiction and academic procrastination in Peruvian university students.
• Internet addiction has a significant positive effect on academic procrastination.
• Academic self-efficacy has a significant negative effect on both internet addiction and academic procrastination.
• The study validated the Lima Internet Addiction Scale (EAIL) for use with Peruvian university students.

Rationale

Academic procrastination is a common self-regulation failure among college students that can negatively impact academic performance and mental well-being (Hayat et al., 2020; Okoye & Oghenekaro, 2020; Tian et al., 2021).

Internet addiction has emerged as a contemporary challenge for university students, intensifying procrastination tendencies (Sánchez-Fernández et al., 2023).

Previous research has identified a clear link between high levels of internet addiction and a greater propensity to procrastinate in academic contexts (Abbasi & Izadpanah, 2018; Hayat et al., 2020; Zhang et al., 2022).

Academic self-efficacy has been identified as a crucial mediator in this relationship (Karakaya Özyer & Altınsoy, 2023).

However, the specific role of academic self-efficacy in mediating the relationship between internet addiction and academic procrastination among Peruvian university students has not been thoroughly investigated.

This study aims to address this gap in the literature and provide insights for developing targeted interventions to reduce academic procrastination.

Method

Procedure

The study employed a cross-sectional explanatory design with an associative strategy. Participants completed an online form via Google Forms, which included:

• Informed consent
• Sociodemographic data collection
• Completion of three questionnaires: EAPESA, EAIL, and APS

Sample

The study included 334 Peruvian university students selected through non-probabilistic convenience sampling.

Measures

• Specific Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale of Academic Situations (EAPESA): 9 items, single factor, 4 response options
• Lima Internet Addiction Scale (EAIL): 11 items, two dimensions, 4 Likert-type response options
• Academic Procrastination Scale (APS): 12 items, two factors, inverse scoring for first factor

Statistical measures

• Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using SEMLj module
• Reliability analysis using Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s Omega coefficients
• Correlation analysis between variables
• Path analysis and mediation analysis using the medmod module

Results

Hypothesis 1: Internet addiction negatively affects academic self-efficacy.

Result: Confirmed. Internet addiction had a significant negative effect on academic self-efficacy (β = -0.381, t = -4.52, p < 0.001).

Hypothesis 2: Academic self-efficacy negatively affects academic procrastination.

Result: Confirmed. Academic self-efficacy had a significant negative effect on academic procrastination (β = -0.522, t = -7.04, p < 0.001).

Hypothesis 3: Internet addiction positively affects academic procrastination.

Result: Confirmed. Internet addiction had a significant positive effect on academic procrastination (β = 0.642, t = 5.72, p < 0.001).

Hypothesis 4: Academic self-efficacy mediates the relationship between internet addiction and academic procrastination.

Result: Partially confirmed. Academic self-efficacy partially mediates the relationship between internet addiction and academic procrastination. The indirect effect of internet addiction on academic procrastination through academic self-efficacy was significant (β = 0.199, p < 0.001), with a mediation percentage of 23.7%.

Insight

This study provides valuable insights into the complex relationship between internet addiction, academic self-efficacy, and academic procrastination among Peruvian university students.

The findings extend previous research by demonstrating that academic self-efficacy acts as a partial mediator in the relationship between internet addiction and academic procrastination.

This suggests that while internet addiction directly contributes to academic procrastination, enhancing students’ academic self-efficacy can help mitigate this effect.

The study also validates the Lima Internet Addiction Scale for use with Peruvian university students, providing a useful tool for future research in this population.

Further research could explore additional mediating factors in the relationship between internet addiction and academic procrastination, as well as investigate the effectiveness of interventions aimed at enhancing academic self-efficacy in reducing procrastination behaviors.

Implications

The findings of this study have several important implications for practitioners and policymakers in higher education:

1. Implementing self-efficacy enhancement programs: Universities should develop and implement programs specifically designed to boost students’ academic self-efficacy. These could include workshops, mentoring programs, and peer support initiatives that focus on building students’ confidence in their academic abilities.
2. Integrating technology awareness: Educational institutions should incorporate awareness programs about healthy internet use and its potential impact on academic performance. This could involve workshops on digital literacy and time management in the context of internet use.
3. Tailoring support services: Student support services should be tailored to address the interconnected issues of internet addiction, academic self-efficacy, and procrastination. This might involve offering specialized counseling services or creating support groups for students struggling with these issues.
4. Curriculum design: Educators should consider incorporating activities and assessments that promote self-regulated learning and time management skills into their course designs. This could help students develop strategies to combat procrastination and manage internet use effectively.
5. Policy development: Universities may need to develop or revise policies related to internet use on campus, ensuring that they promote healthy digital habits while still providing necessary access to online resources.
6. Training for faculty and staff: Professional development programs for faculty and staff should include training on recognizing signs of internet addiction and academic procrastination, as well as strategies to support students in developing academic self-efficacy.
7. Technological solutions: Universities could explore the implementation of productivity tools or apps that help students manage their time and internet use more effectively.
8. Research funding: Policymakers should consider allocating funds for further research into effective interventions for enhancing academic self-efficacy and reducing internet addiction among university students.

Implementing these recommendations may face challenges such as resource allocation, resistance to change, and the need for cultural sensitivity in program design.

However, the potential benefits in terms of improved academic performance, student well-being, and retention rates could be significant.

Strengths

This study had several methodological strengths, including:

• Use of validated instruments for data collection
• Adequate sample size for structural equation modeling
• Validation of the Lima Internet Addiction Scale for use with Peruvian university students
• Application of robust statistical techniques, including confirmatory factor analysis and mediation analysis
• Consideration of ethical guidelines and obtaining informed consent from participants

Limitations

This study also had several methodological limitations, including:

• Cross-sectional design limits causal inferences
• Convenience sampling may reduce generalizability of findings
• Self-report measures may be subject to social desirability bias
• Limited to Peruvian university students, potentially limiting cross-cultural applicability
• Does not account for potential confounding variables (e.g., personality traits, mental health status)

References

Primary reference

Rocio, D., Beatriz, R., Marlene, N., Frank, D., & D., C. (2025). Relationship between academic procrastination and internet addiction in Peruvian university students: The mediating role of academic self-efficacy. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1454234. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1454234

Other references

Abbasi, A., & Izadpanah, S. (2018). The relationship between critical thinking, its subscales and academic achievement of English language course: The predictability of educational success based on critical thinking. Academy Journal of Educational Sciences, 2(2), 91-105.

JAVAD KOJURI, M., & MITRA AMINI, M. (2020). Academic procrastination of medical students: The role of Internet addiction. Journal of Advances in Medical Education & Professionalism, 8(2), 83. https://doi.org/10.30476/JAMP.2020.85000.1159

Karakaya Özyer, K., & Altinsoy, F. (2023). Academic Procrastination of University Students: The Role of Problematic Internet Use, Self-Regulated Online Learning, and Academic Self-Efficacy. Malaysian Online Journal of Educational Technology, 11(1), 77-93.

Okoye, K. R. E., & Onokpaunu, M. O. (2020). Relationship between Self-Esteem, Academic Procrastination and Test Anxiety with Academic Achievement of Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) Students in Delta State University, Abraka. International Scholars Journal of Arts and Social Science Research.

Sánchez-Fernández, M., Borda-Mas, M., & Mora-Merchán, J. (2023). Problematic internet use by university students and associated predictive factors: A systematic review. Computers in Human Behavior, 139, 107532. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2022.107532

Tian, J., Zhao, J., Xu, J., Li, Q., Sun, T., Zhao, C., Gao, R., Zhu, L., Guo, H., Yang, L., Cao, D., & Zhang, S. (2021). Mobile Phone Addiction and Academic Procrastination Negatively Impact Academic Achievement Among Chinese Medical Students. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 758303. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.758303

Zhang, X., Chen, K., Wang, M., & Chen, C. (2022). The relationship between academic procrastination and internet addiction in college students: The multiple mediating effects of intrusive thinking and depression-anxiety-stress. Psychology, 13(4), 591-606.

Socratic Questions

1. How might cultural factors specific to Peru influence the relationship between internet addiction, academic self-efficacy, and academic procrastination? How could future research address these cultural nuances?
2. The study found that academic self-efficacy partially mediates the relationship between internet addiction and academic procrastination. What other factors might account for the remaining variance in this relationship?
3. How might the findings of this study differ if conducted with non-university students or in a different age group? What implications would this have for generalizing the results?
4. The study used self-report measures. What are the potential limitations of relying on self-report data for these variables, and how might future research address these limitations?
5. How might the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift to online learning have influenced the relationships observed in this study? How could future research account for such large-scale environmental factors?
6. The study suggests implementing programs to enhance academic self-efficacy. What specific strategies or interventions do you think would be most effective, and why?
7. How might the relationship between internet addiction and academic procrastination evolve as technology becomes increasingly integrated into education? What new challenges or opportunities might this present?
8. The study focused on academic procrastination. How might the findings relate to other forms of procrastination, such as in professional or personal contexts?
9. What ethical considerations should be taken into account when developing interventions based on these findings, particularly regarding internet use among students?
10. How might the findings of this study inform broader discussions about digital literacy and healthy technology use in educational settings?