Journal of Education and Health Promotion

Academic procrastination and self‑efficacy among a group of dental undergraduate students in Malaysia

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

. Eswara Uma
. Chia Hua Lee 1
. Siti Nor Hidayu Binti Mohd Shapiai 1
. Anis Nabila Binti Mat Nor 1
. Htoo Htoo Kyaw Soe 2
. Eby Varghese

1 Former Undergraduate Student, Faculty of Dentistry, Melaka Manipal Medical College, MAHE, Manipal, Melaka, Malaysia

2 Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Research Methodology and Biostatistics Unit, Melaka Manipal Medical College, MAHE, Melaka, Malaysia

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Undergraduate dental students have to do multiple tasks as part of their extensive
curriculum in order to achieve the proficiencies expected of them. During the course of their study, a
tendency to procrastinate and question their self‑efficacy is detrimental for the students. The aim of
this study was to evaluate the level of procrastination and self‑efficacy and its related factors among
dental undergraduate students.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This cross‑sectional study was conducted among all (n = 361)
consented dental undergraduate students of our dental school. A twenty‑item Lay’s Procrastination
Scale for student population and a ten‑item General Self‑Efficacy Scale were used for the study after
getting institutional ethical approval. The quantitative data were explained using descriptive statistics.
Independent sample t‑test and ANOVA were used to determine the association between self‑efficacy,
academic procrastination, and genders and academic years. Pearson correlation coefficient was used
to determine the association between self‑efficacy and procrastination. Multiple linear regression
analysis was performed to determine the related factors to academic procrastination.
RESULTS: High procrastination (score ≥62) was seen among 28.5% of students. The mean
self‑efficacy score was 29.5. There was no significant difference between genders for procrastination
scores (P = 0.835) and between academic years (P = 0.226). Males showed significantly more
self‑efficacy (P < 0.001), and self‑efficacy did not show any significant difference (P = 0.204) between
academic years though a tendency for year 5 students to have lower self‑efficacy scores was observed.
Academic procrastination was negatively correlated with self‑efficacy (r = −0.238 and P < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: For dental undergraduates who have cognitive load as well as work associated
with patients, procrastination and self‑efficacy are negatively correlated.

Keywords

Dental students
procrastination
self‑efficacy
undergraduates 
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Journal of Education and Health Promotion
Volume 10, Issue 11
November 2020
Pages 1-6

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