The investigation of mediating role of academic motivation in the relationship between self-efficacy and academic procrastination

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the mediating role of the academic motivation in the relationship between self-efficacy and academic procrastination in Shiraz junior high school students. Accordingly, the questionnaires of self-efficacy (Muris, 2002), academic motivation (Bahrani, 1388), and academic procrastination (Scher & Osterman, 2002) were distributed in a group consisted of 481 students (217 girls & 264 boys) which were chosen by random multi-stage cluster sampling method. Validity and reliability of the questionnaires by using of Cronbach's alpha coefficient, item-total correlations, and factor analysis were at satisfactory level. Data analyzed by the Pearson correlation coefficient and path analysis applying AMOS software. The findings showed that academic self-efficacy predicted significantly intrinsic motivation (β = .52, p< .001), extrinsic motivation (β= -.16, p< .001), and academic procrastination (β = -.36, p< .001). Emotional self-efficacy could also predict significantly intrinsic motivation (β = .14, p< .001) and academic procrastination (β = -.13, p< .001). The mediating role of academic motivation in relation of academic self-efficacy to academic procrastination using Bootstrap method was significant (p< .005).