The Relationship between Cognitive-Emotional Regulation and Study Skills with Academic Procrastination in Students of the faculty of Health and Paramedicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences

Background and Objective: Today, the prevalence of academic procrastination among students is increasing and various factors are correlated with it. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the relationship between cognitive emotion regulation and educational skills with academic procrastination in students of the Faculty of Health and Paramedical of Zanjan University of Medical Sciences. Materials and Methods: The research method was descriptive-correlational and the statistical population was all undergraduate students of Zanjan School of Public Health that 168 subjects (103 females, 65 males) were selected by stratified random sampling. Data were collected using standard questionnaires of Gravinsky Cognitive Censorship Management, Pulse Study and Criticism, and Solomon and Rhistlebum academic procrastination. Data were analyzed by using Pearson correlation and multiple regression tests. Results: Normal distribution of variables was confirmed regarding to the significance level above 0.05 of Smirnov's Kolmogorov test. The results showed that there was a significant positive correlation between rumination (components of emotion regulation) and academic procrastination (P <0.01, r = 0.35). Data showed significant negative relationship between the components of study skills, time division, physical status, reading ability, memorization, learning motivation and memory and academic procrastination (P <0.05). Regression results showed that rumination, time division, physical condition, learning motivation, and memory predicted 22.1%, 18.8%, 18.1%, 20.9%, and 20.1% of academic procrastination, respectively. Conclusion: Designing interventions to reduce rumination, improve time division, physical status, reading ability, recording, learning motivation and memory will be effective in reducing academic procrastination. D ow nl oa de d fr om z um s. ac .ir a t 2 :3 7 IR S T o n W ed ne sd ay D ec em be r 25 th 2 01 9 [ D O I: 10 .2 92 52 /e dc j.1 0. 26 .7 2 ] The relationship between emotion regulation and study skills 124 Journal of Medical Education Development , Vol 10, No 26 Summer, 2017 Introduction Procrastination is defined as postponing, delaying, or putting off a task or a decision, which is very common among high school and university students. Procrastination includes a wide range of psychological areas, and sometimes occurs unconsciously in individuals (1). Milgram introduced procrastination as an attribute or a behavioral defect manifesting itself as deferment of a task or decision (2). In addition, procrastination is known as a behavioral tendency toward postponing what is required for achieving a goal. In other words, this notion is defined as delaying a task, which has been decided to be carried out by an individual (3). According to the literature, there is a high prevalence of academic procrastination among various walks of life, especially the adolescents and youth. In a research conducted on adults, it was determined that procrastination was a medium-severe problem in life of 20% of interviewed individuals. In this regard, there is a higher rate of procrastination observed in high school and university students, who are often willing to delay their assignments, or even, obtaining their academic degree (4). Ozer et al. marked that procrastination was observed in 40-95% of academic settings. In another research, it was reported that 70% of students and 20% of common people had tendencies toward procrastination. Ozer and Sockes also concluded that 38% of students were extremely procrastinator (5). While procrastination occurs in all different daily tasks, academic procrastination is significantly high in students, and is regarded as a decisive factor for academic success and progress (6). Studies have shown that procrastination is not only a time-management problem, but it is also a complicated process, which includes emotional, cognitive and behavioral components. There are various theories about procrastination, each focusing on one section of this phenomenon more than others (7). Among these factors is cognitive emotion regulation, that impact of which on academic procrastination has not yet been thoroughly evaluated. In fact, cognitive emotion regulation is based on internal and external processes of responding against containment and monitoring, and evaluation and modulation of emotional interactions, especially their short-term and peculiar characteristics for achieving goals (8). Cognitive emotion regulation includes any coping strategy used by individuals when faced with extreme excitement (9). In D ow nl oa de d fr om z um s. ac .ir a t 2 :3 7 IR S T o n W ed ne sd ay D ec em be r 25 th 2 01 9 [ D O I: 10 .2 92 52 /e dc j.1 0. 26 .7 2 ] 125 Mahdion and Kiani Journal of Medical Education Development , Vol 10, No 26 Summer, 2017 addition, this concept refers to the ability to comprehend emotions, and modulate emotional experiences and expressions (10). Studies have shown that increased positive emotional experiences lead to effective dealing with stressful conditions (11). In this regard, Garnefski et al. marked that rumination is not only associated with internal self-report, but it is also related to the quality of life and general health. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that cognitive emotion regulation strategies are related to psychological distress and predict the next adjustment of an individual (12). Another factor, which is assumed to have an impact on academic procrastination, is study skills. Many psychologists have found out that academic failure of the majority of students is not due to poor mental ability, but it is rather due to their lack of study skills. In other words, students have little information about learning and study skills (13). According to the researchers, studying is a method for coding, saving, maintaining, restating, and using information in a logical, effective, and adequate manner (14, 15). Results obtained by Hassan Beygi et al. (2011) have demonstrated that high (≥15) scores of study skills (time management and procrastination, focus and memory, study aids and noting, proper strategies for test anxiety, data process and organization, motivation and attitude, survey and selection of main ideas) were more observed in students, compared to low (<15) scores (16). Appropriate study methods can help students learn and memorize better and restate meanings in a more efficient way. Researchers have stated that techniques, such as dividing contents and memorizing them in accordance with the capacity of working memory, are appropriate for learning contents or putting proper gaps between the learning processes. In other word, a mass of contents cannot be memorized at once (17). Review of previous articles led to the realization that limited number of studies have been carried out on factors affecting academic procrastination, which include cognitive emotional regulation and study skills. This lack of research is specifically observed in Iran. Therefore, it seems necessary to perform more studies, so that in addition to clarifying the concept of academic procrastination, proper solutions can be provided to reduce this issue, helping its improvement over time. With this background in mind, this study aimed to evaluate the relationship between academic procrastination of students in Health and Paramedicine D ow nl oa de d fr om z um s. ac .ir a t 2 :3 7 IR S T o n W ed ne sd ay D ec em be r 25 th 2 01 9 [ D O I: 10 .2 92 52 /e dc j.1 0. 26 .7 2 ] The relationship between emotion regulation and study skills 126 Journal of Medical Education Development , Vol 10, No 26 Summer, 2017 Schools of Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran and the variables of cognitive emotion regulation and study skills. Materials and Methods This descriptive and correlational research was conducted on all BSc students of Health and Paramedicine Schools of Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, including 300 individuals according to the announcement by the education office of the schools in academic year of 2015-2016. Samples were extracted using Cochran’s sample size formula. In total, 168 subjects were selected considering error level of 0.05. Data collection tools for evaluation of academic procrastination, cognitive emotion regulation and study skills were procrastination assessment scale (PAS) by Solomon and Bloom, cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire by Garnefski and study skills Inventory (PSSHI) by Palsane and Sharma, respectively. PAS was designed by Solomon and Bloom, which contains 27 items and evaluates three components, as follows: 1) preparing for exams (8 items, from one to eight), 2) assignment preparation (11 items, from nine to 19), and 3) preparing final articles (thesis) (eight items, from 19 to 27). Items were responded through selecting one of the alternatives of never, rarely, sometimes, often and always by the participants. In addition, questionnaires were scored on a Four-point scale (always=4 to never=0). However, items of 4, 6, 11, 15, 16, 21, 23, and 25 were scored reversely. Reliability of PAS was estimated at coefficient of 84% using internal consistency (18). This scale was first used in Iran by Dehghan, reliability of which was estimated at the Cronbach’s alpha of 0.79 (19). In the current research, reliability of the mentioned scale was calculated at the Cronbach’s alpha of 0.75. Cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire was designed by Garnefski et al. This is a multi-dimensional and self-reporting tool, which contains 36 items and is created in adult and children forms. This questionnaire evaluates nine cognitive dimensions of selfblame, Acceptance, Rumination, Positive Refocusing, Refocus on Planning, Positive Reappraisal, Putting into Perspective, Catastrophizing, Other-blame. In this regard, four items were allocated to each dimension. Alpha coefficient for subscales of this questionnaire was reported in the range of 0.71-0.81 by