UC Riverside Undergraduate Research Journal

Procrastination is a widespread problem among students, yet feasible solutions have remained elusive. Recognizing the detrimental impact of procrastination on students’ potential, this study aims to investigate the underlying factors contributing to this problem. Specifically, this study explores the associations between academic identity, self-esteem, and procrastination in both male and female participants. Previous research suggests a negative relationship between self-esteem and procrastination. There has been substantially less research examining the relationship between academic identity types (i.e., achieved, foreclosed, moratorium, and diffused academic identity) and procrastination. The current study surveyed 244 college students about their personality habits, academic identity, and self-esteem. It was hypothesized that self-esteem would moderate the relationship between achieved academic identity and procrastination. Regression analyses support this hypothesis, indicating that college students who have a well-developed sense of achieved academic identity are less likely to procrastinate in academic settings, especially for students high in self-esteem. Additionally, results suggest students who have not made a commitment to academic goals and values, are more likely to procrastinate. Theoretical implications for studying academic identity and procrastination will be discussed, along with intervention recommendations for college students.