Procrastination is a psycho-emotional phenomenon that manifests itself primarily in middle and late adolescence. The objective of this short communication was to describe alternatives for managing procrastination in university students, adapting a qualitative methodology and a literature review of various repositories (Scielo, Dialnet, among others) on the topic studied. The text is divided into three parts: 1) etiology, 2) alternatives, and 3) final comments. It concludes that procrastination affects functions derived from the cerebral cortex, which impedes adequate academic performance, promoting generalized stress and school dropout.

Keywords: procrastination, student, university, adolescent

Procrastination is a complex psychosocial phenomenon that affects many individuals in the student community, both at the secondary and university levels. This situation has caused many researchers to turn their attention to the discovery of a multiplicity of personal (autonomy, time management), psycho-social (self-motivation, stereotyped behaviors) academic variables (cognitive complexity towards course understanding and lack of motivation towards it). However, some authors agree that this behavioral process towards academic activities is unjustified, and that there is no significant causality for the student to self-submit to such a situation.¹

This article is an essay that aimed to study the various points of view on the etiology and consequences of university procrastination, starting from the conceptualization, genesis, effects and some alternatives to overcome procrastination in university students. Taking into account the theories and/or postulates of the cited authors and the opinion of the author on the subject. For this, a documentary research was carried out, taking into account the title, objective of each work and year of publication (2020 onwards) as eligibility requirements for this essay. This is to ensure that each selected article relates to the study topic. The parts of the essay are described below.

The present research was structured in a qualitative methodology with a bibliographic design, so that we proceeded to the selection and systematic review of different documents (articles, theses, monographs, among others) related to the theme of the study. Also, a documentary search was carried out in different electronic repositories such as: Scielo, Redilat, Dialnet, among others. The research covered logical and mental procedures of analysis, synthesis, deduction and induction of selected documents.²

Conceptualization, etiology and effects

The concept of procrastination refers to those students who for self-fertile reasons, do not deliver their academic activities in time and form. From the etymological point of view, the word means "leave something for the next day", when in fact in many cases, you can make the commitments beforehand. Also, it is imperative to remember that the word student refers to "study before", these terms have an important epistemic correlational connotation, which derives implicitly in the attitude of those involved by resolving their academic matters "before" and not "against time" as in the case of affected students.³

The manifestation of procrastination occurs in an academic context where various factors conspire to trigger atypical behaviors towards the resolution of tasks assigned by teachers. In this sense, there are two aspects in the scientific literature: 1) low self-esteem and lack of self-confidence (a), and 2) behavior that has no apparent justification, so it is unacceptable from an ethical point of view.⁴

The truth of all this, is that regardless of the causal variables mentioned about this problem, the (as) procrastinators (as) are involved in a complex situation that in the worst case, It ends with school dropout as an inexcusable means of bringing this stage to an end. Therefore, it is essential to study the motivation that leads them to have such behavior, which according to some research, giving a total or partial assignment against time, creates special adrenaline, this regardless in most cases, the results that this may have in their qualifications, bringing a consequent detriment in academic performance, low morale, anxiety, psychological failure and bad practice in the delivery of tasks.

Anxiety and failure in particular, are triggers of levels of distress that cause depression in some cases in procrastinators. This shows that the emotional state is decisive in this process that gradually involves those involved in special decadent behavioral patterns of subjective self-assessment.⁵

As a result of the above, the researchers have looked at those alternatives that could help the procrastinating students to overcome this situation. On this particular point, we can find a diversity of procrastinator profiles, since there is no universal origin of this kind. However, some aspects such as anxiety, depression, impulsiveness and lack of academic attention can be treated in common. To this end, the school guidance specialist, psychologist and parents of those affected must work in a synergistic way if they are to achieve favorable results over time. It is good to clarify that the process towards new adaptation will depend on each student and how they approach it.

In this sense, there are some psychometric inventories to statistically verify the condition of procrastination in university students, being the most used, the Scale of Evaluation of Procrastination - Student of Solomon and Rothblum⁵ and the Tuckman,⁶ being the last, the most preferred. This test, in its original version, includes 72 items with a scale of type Likert from 1 to 5, where 1 means that it does not present the aptitude and 5, if it presents it. However, at the Latin American level, this test has presented modifications to the social context in which the tests are applied, reducing items for a better consolidation of the instrument applied. Some studies show behavioral similarities around procrastination.⁷

Among these we can mention: fear, widespread academic insecurity, cognitive distortion for the processing of data and information necessary for the performance of tasks, which leads to postponement and/or school delay. Some even set themselves unrealistic goals or objectives, which lead to frustration and backwardness. There are two types of procrastinators: the sporadic and the chronic. In the first case, the behavior of the person suffering from it is associated with difficulties in managing his time in a proper way, which allows him to deliver tasks on time. Nevertheless, on an individual basis or with vocational assistance, it is possible to overcome this stage in the short or medium term without academic postponement. On the other hand, in the second case the behavior is more delayed in time, associated with repetitive episodes of anxiety with personal justifications that lead to student backwardness.⁸

Following the same order of ideas, individual and family psychotherapy is essential. Both help procrastinators see attitudes that they cannot see or accept on their own and that their image as a person does not really reflect the high potential they have to develop with strength and a positive attitude toward academic challenges. At this stage, when the student accepts that he or she has a problem, a joint platform of emotional support is created that pushes the student to have a firmer stance on his or her problem. This creates a certain independence and autonomy to face the problem, because you already have a better understanding of yourself and your environment.⁹

The above brings a substantial increase in self-motivation and self-realization, which causes a reaction of dopamine and a series of cascades at the level of the neurons of the cerebral cortex, able to create a state of serenity and security.

This brings interesting psycho-emotional benefits as it lessens anxiety, impatience and lack of understanding about your academic responsibilities. It has been found that having a positive self-image promotes progress in work and social relationships, so that procrastinators mostly lack a positive view of their actions and their environment, thus evidencing a very volatile and fragile introspective plane, despite the supposed toughness of character that procrastinators want to demonstrate to the people with whom they relate.

After discussing the arguments presented in this document, it can be concluded that procrastination is a psychological state which affects the emotional and organic function of the person suffering from it, so that the student/s feels in some cases unable to solve their academic tasks, leading to their timely and formal non-compliance.

The causality of this atypical behavior is multifactorial, and affects mainly the university student population, so it is necessary to observe in time the attitude, academic record, level of tolerance and frustration of those students who profile themselves as possible procrastinators. Under this premise, early psychotherapeutic help is important to avoid major consequences in the medium and long term, such as: school dropout, emotional instability and lack of resilience.

None.

Author declares that there is no conflict of interest.

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