The role of self-control in the relationship between perfectionism and academic procrastination

The aim of the current study was to investigate the mediating role of self-control in the relationship between perfectionism and academic procrastination. The sample, which was reached using the convenience sampling method, consisted of 481 people between the ages of 18-35 in different undergraduate and graduate departments in Türkiye. Demographic Information Form, Academic Procrastination Behavior Scale (APBS), Big Three Perfectionism Scale-16 (BTPS-16) and Self-Control Scale (SCS) were applied to the participants. BTPS- 16 students' maladaptive perfectionism levels. 59.9% of them are female, 39.9% are male, 84.2% are university students, 15.8% are master's and doctoral students. Pearson Correlation Analysis, Independent Sample T- Test, one-way ANOVA and Process Macro Analysis were performed using Social Sciences Statistical Package Program (SPSS) 21 to determine the relationships between variables. As a result of the correlation analysis, a positive relationship was found between perfectionism and academic procrastination, and a negative relationship was found between self-control and academic procrastination. As a result of mediaton analysis using Macro Process (Model-4), it was found that self-control had a mediating effect in the relationship between perfectionism and academic procrastination. Accordingly, the increase in maladaptive perfectionism levels of participants increased academic procrastination behaviors through the decrease in self- control. The fact that there have been no studies in the literature that examine these three variables together makes this research unique. In addition, the study contributes to the literature in terms of generalizability by reaching students from 62 different universities and 80 different departments throughout Türkiye.