The Mediation Effect of Academic Self-Efficacy on Academic Procrastination, Performance, and Satisfaction of Chinese Local Technology University Undergraduates

PURPOSE: To identify the relationship between academic procrastination, performance, self-efficacy, and satisfaction, we investigate the mediational role of academic self-efficacy between academic procrastination and satisfaction, and between academic performance and satisfaction, respectively, among undergraduate students of local technology universities in China.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 388 undergraduate students from 22 local technology universities in Hubei, China. Data was collected through an online questionnaire measuring academic procrastination, performance, self-efficacy, and satisfaction. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation coefficients were used to analyze the relationship between variables. Structural equation modeling analysis and the bootstrap method were employed to examine the mediating effect of academic self-efficacy on the relationship between academic procrastination, academic performance, and academic satisfaction, respectively.

RESULTS: (a) Academic procrastination was widespread, with 47.6% of respondents exhibiting high levels and 30.2% showing moderate tendencies. (b) Academic procrastination exhibited a negative and statistically significant relationship with academic self-efficacy and satisfaction, respectively. Conversely, academic performance was positively and statistically significantly associated with self-efficacy and satisfaction. Furthermore, academic self-efficacy displayed a positive and statistically significant correlation with academic satisfaction. (c) Academic self-efficacy mediated the relationship between academic procrastination and satisfaction as well as between academic performance and satisfaction.

CONCLUSION: This study highlights the mechanism of academic satisfaction of undergraduate students, with a particular emphasis on the mediating role of academic self-efficacy, especially verifying its mediating role between academic performance and satisfaction. The findings hold significant implications for policymakers, university administrators, educators, and undergraduate students, offering insights for enhancing academic satisfaction in undergraduate learning and contributing to expanding the mechanistic understanding of academic satisfaction.