The Relationship Between Chronotype and Academic Procrastination: The Mediating Roles of Anxiety-Depression Symptoms and Physical Activity

Abstract

Background:

Academic procrastination is a common behavioral issue among university students. Recent studies indicate that chronotype is associated with procrastination tendencies, anxiety and depression symptoms, as well as physical activity levels.

Aims:

This study aims to examine the relationship between chronotype and academic procrastination, and to investigate whether anxiety and depression symptoms and physical activity mediate this association.

Method:

This cross-sectional online study included 1,207 university students. The participants completed measures of chronotype (a Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire), academic procrastination (the Tuckman Procrastination Scale), physical activity (a Global Physical Activity Questionnaire), and anxiety-depression symptoms (total score of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale). Correlational and serial mediation analyses (PROCESS macro Model 6, 5,000 bootstrap samples) were conducted to examine the direct and indirect effects.

Results:

Evening-type individuals reported higher academic procrastination (p < .001) and anxiety-depression symptoms (p < .001), and lower physical activity (p = .002) compared to other chronotypes. The chronotype was negatively correlated with the academic procrastination (r = –.27, p < .001) and the anxiety-depression symptoms (r = –.18, p < .001), and positively correlated with the physical activity (r = .09, p = .001). A mediation analysis showed that 80.4% of the total effect of the chronotype on the procrastination was direct (B = –0.267, p < .001), while 19.6% was indirect, primarily through the anxiety-depression symptoms (B = –0.056, 95% CI [–0.082, –0.035]) and to a lesser extent through the physical activity (B = –0.007, 95% CI [–0.015, –0.001]). However, no significant indirect path was found through the serial mediation of the anxiety-depression symptoms and the physical activity (95% CI [–0.002, 0.001]).

Conclusion:

Chronotype is significantly associated with academic procrastination, with anxiety-depression symptoms and physical activity partially mediating this relationship. Chronotype, anxiety and depression symptoms, and physical activity levels should be considered in designing interventions targeting the academic behavior and well-being in students.