Exploring the Relationship Between Electronic Device Use and Psychological Dimensions of Procrastination in University Students

This study examines the relationship between electronic device use and psychological dimensions of procrastination in university students. The main objectives were to identify screen usage habits, explore their association with key psychological factors, and determine whether these factors predict perceived procrastination. An ad hoc instrument and descriptive, correlational, and regression techniques were used for data analysis of a sample of 924 Spanish university students. From this sample, a target subsample of 386 students who reported high levels of procrastination was selected to analyse screen-use patterns and their links with procrastination dimensions. In contrast, the full sample was used to estimate the predictive regression models. Results showed high screen use among students, with 20% potentially at risk for problematic use. High screen use correlated with lower self-regulation, self-efficacy, and self-esteem, and higher anxiety. Conversely, higher self-regulation and self-efficacy were linked to more motivation, better self-esteem, and less anxiety. Regression results indicated that screen time, self-regulation, and self-efficacy significantly predict procrastination levels. These findings suggest that psychological factors play a key role in how screen use relates to procrastination.