Correlation between Academic Procrastination and Self-Esteem among Dental students of an institute of Northern India: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Abstract Background: Procrastination can be viewed as a self-imposed obstacle to behavior. In educational contexts, academic procrastination refers to postponing academic tasks. Individuals who procrastinate start feeling powerless and hopeless, his confidence suffers and can lead to low self-esteem. Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the correlation between academic procrastination and self-esteem among undergraduate students of a dental Institute of Northern India. Materials and method: A descriptive cross-sectional study having structured questionnaire was developed and circulated among dental students of an institute using convenience sampling technique. A total of 239 responses were obtained and evaluated. Statistical analysis: The data was processed using Microsoft Excel version 7.0. Statistical analysis using independent Student t-test, ANOVA and Pearson’s correlation test was performed along with descriptive analysis. Results: A moderate negative co-relation was obtained among males, females and overall study participants (r= -0.592, r= -0.634, r= -0.604 respectively). Majority of participants were females and 3rd year students participated to the maximum. No statistically significant difference was seen gender wise and academic year wise with mean procrastination scores and with mean self-esteem scores. Conclusion: Among dental students, Individuals possessing higher self-esteem tend to procrastinate less, whereas those with increased procrastination possess lower self-esteem. Thus, it is important to guide students after admissions to colleges regarding curriculum deadlines and educational environment.