Digital Burnout and Academic Procrastination among University Psychology Students: A Correlational Study

The increasing reliance on digital technology in higher education has raised concerns about its potential impact on students’ academic behavior, particularly in relation to procrastination. Prolonged digital engagement may contribute to psychological exhaustion, which could interfere with students’ ability to effectively regulate their academic tasks. This study aimed to examine the association between digital burnout and academic procrastination among undergraduate students. A quantitative correlational design was employed, involving undergraduate psychology students at Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang. Data were collected using adapted and validated self-report instruments administered via an online survey. A total of valid responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation analysis. The results indicated that most students experienced moderate levels of digital burnout (60%) and academic procrastination (53%). A significant positive correlation was found between digital burnout and academic procrastination (R = 0.615, R² = 0.378, p < 0.001), suggesting that higher levels of digital burnout are associated with increased procrastination tendencies. These findings indicate that students experiencing greater digital fatigue may struggle more with initiating and completing academic tasks in a timely manner. In conclusion, digital burnout appears to be an important factor associated with academic procrastination, although it should be understood within a broader, multifactorial framework. Additional variables such as motivation, self-regulation, and learning environment may also play meaningful roles in shaping procrastination behavior. Further research using longitudinal or experimental approaches is recommended to better understand the directionality and underlying mechanisms of this relationship across diverse student populations and educational contexts globally.