Predicting of decisional procrastination based on metacognitive beliefs about procrastination with the mediating role of self-regulation in anxiety

Today, procrastination as a type of performance failure is the main focus of psychological/educational research. In the current study, assuming a cognitive perspective, the relationship between metacognitive beliefs about procrastination and decisional procrastination was investigated, considering the mediating role of self-regulation in anxiety.

The statistical population of the present research consisted of all students studying at Yazd University in the academic year 2021-2022. 391 students, who were selected based on Cochran's formula and by cluster random sampling from three bachelor, master, and doctoral courses, completed questionnaires that measured the level of metacognitive beliefs about procrastination, self-regulation in anxiety, and decisional procrastination. To analyze the descriptive data and the correlation matrix of the research variables, SPSS software version 26 was used and, to test the hypothesis and the final research model, AMOS software version 20 was used.

The findings indicated that metacognitive beliefs (positive, β= 0.05 and p= 0.437; negative, β= 0.004 and p= 0.981) do not have a significant direct effect on decisional procrastination; but metacognitive beliefs (positive, β= -0.43 and p= 0.0001; negative β= -0.47 and p= 0.001) have a significant direct effect on self-regulation in anxiety and also, self-regulation in anxiety (β= -0.56 and p= 0.001) on decisional procrastination. Also, self-regulation in anxiety mediated the relationship between metacognitive beliefs and decisional procrastination.

In general, the current research findings are consistent with the decisional conflict theory model and provide a theoretical basis for investigating procrastination as an obstacle to learners' academic success.