IMPACT OF ACADEMIC PROCRASTINATION ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AMONG UNDERGRADUATE NURSING STUDENTS OF SWABI

Abstract

Academic procrastination refers to a widespread academic habit of students who voluntarily postpone academic work with potential negative outcomes. Nursing education is a combination of theoretical study, clinical practice, activities in skills laboratory, assignments, and examinations, which requires good time management and self-regulation. This study aimed to evaluate the level of academic procrastination and its relationship with academic achievement of the undergraduate nursing students of Swabi. A quantitative analytical cross-sectional study was conducted for 258 students of BSN undergraduate level students in three nursing institutions of Swabi. Academic procrastination was assessed using the Procrastination Assessment Scale—Students (PASS) and academic achievement was assessed based on current CGPA. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, simple linear regression and independent samples t-test, at the level of p<0.05. Majority of students (224, 86.8%) scored moderate academic procrastination and a minority (34, 13.2%) scored high academic procrastination. The mean PASS score was 60.75 (SD=4.22), and the mean CGPA was 3.14 (SD=0.32). The simple linear regression indicated that there was a statistically significant negative correlation between academic procrastination and CGPA (B=-0.067, β=-0.877, P<0.001). The mean procrastination scores of the students living at home were significantly higher when compared with that of the hostel students (62.84 vs. 58.28, p< 0.001). The prevalence of academic procrastination among Swabi's undergraduate nursing students was found to be moderate, most of whom have moderate levels. In the current study sample, higher academic procrastination was significantly related to lower achievement. The data presented are of cross sectional nature and thus describe only statistical association and cannot prove causation.