Academic procrastination in college students: the role of self-reported executive function

Investigating the Mediating Role of Executive Function in the Relationship Between ADHD and DCD Symptoms and Depression in Adults

This study was designed to test the effects of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (DCD) on depression levels and investigate the mediating role of executive function (EF) in adults. Adults with ADHD, DCD, and ADHD + DCD (N = 139) completed self-report measures of ADHD, DCD, depression, and EF. There were distinct profiles of EF across diagnostic groups, and higher depression symptoms in adults with ADHD + DCD than DCD alone. All EF domains were predicted by ADHD symptoms, and several by DCD symptoms. ADHD and DCD symptoms, and most EF domains, predicted depression symptoms. Overall EF difficulties fully mediated the relationships between ADHD/DCD and depression symptoms. Several specific EF domains relating to behavioural regulation and metacognition also showed full/partial mediating effects. The mediating role of EF difficulties between these neurodevelopmental conditions and depression symptoms has implications for their understanding and treatment, suggesting that targeting EF may be important for preventing co-occurring depression.

Trait-level predictors of human performance outcomes in personnel engaged in stressful laboratory and field tasks

Introduction

Personnel performance under stress hinges on various factors, including individual traits, training, context, mental and physiological states, and task demands. This study explored the link between the traits of military personnel and their performance outcomes in five domains: move, shoot, communicate, navigate, and sustain.

Methods

A total of 387 U.S. Army soldiers participated in this study, undergoing trait assessments covering physical, cognitive, social-emotional, demographic/lifestyle, and health domains. Performance was measured through lab and field events assessing a broad range of individual and team-level skills under conditions demanding resilience to acute cognitive and physical stress exposure. Analysis used feature selection and elastic net regression.

Results

Analyses revealed complex associations between traits and performance, with physical, cognitive, health-related, social-emotional, and lifestyle traits playing roles in guiding and constraining performance. Measures of resilience, emotion regulation, grit, and mindfulness were identified as relevant predictors of several performance-related outcomes.

Discussion

Results carry implications for the selection, training, and operational effectiveness of personnel in high-stakes occupations including military and first response. Further research is necessary to explore the mechanisms underlying these associations and inform targeted interventions to boost personnel effectiveness.

The role of big five traits and self-esteem on academic procrastination in Honduran and Spanish university students: A cross-cultural study

Academic procrastination, a prevalent issue in higher education, has been associated with various adverse outcomes. This study aims to discern and compare the degrees of academic procrastination among university students in Honduras and Spain while also investigating the relationship between academic procrastination and the Big Five personality factors alongside self-esteem. The sample comprised 457 university students, encompassing 237 Hondurans and 220 Spaniards. The research employed descriptive, comparative, correlational, and regression analyses. Honduran university students exhibited a significantly lower level of academic procrastination. Correlational analyses revealed that self-esteem and all Big Five personality factors, except for neuroticism in the Spanish cohort, displayed noteworthy associations with academic procrastination. Further regression analyses demonstrated that conscientiousness emerged as a significant predictor of procrastination in both samples. This study's findings can be pivotal in identifying students at risk of procrastination at an early stage. Additionally, the results can inform the development of intervention programs designed to mitigate procrastination tendencies among university students.

Promotion of self-directed learning abilities among Chinese medical students through preparing for career calling and enhancing teaching competencies in medical education: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Medical students face a heavy burden as they are tasked with acquiring a vast amount of medical knowledge within a limited time frame. Self-directed learning (SDL) has become crucial for efficient and ongoing learning among medical students. However, effective ways to foster SDL ability among Chinese medical students are lacking, and limited studies have identified factors that impact the SDL ability of medical students. This makes it challenging for educators to develop targeted strategies to improve students' SDL ability. This study aims to assess SDL ability among Chinese medical students and examine the effects of career calling and teaching competencies on SDL ability, as well as the possible mechanisms linking them.

METHODS

Data were collected from 3614 respondents (effective response rate = 60.11%) using cross-sectional online questionnaires and analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 22.0. The questionnaire comprised a Demographic Characteristics Questionnaire, Self-directed Learning Ability Scale (Cronbach's alpha = 0.962), Teaching Competencies Scale, and Career Calling Scale.

RESULTS

The average SDL ability score of Chinese medical students was 3.68 ± 0.56, indicating a moderate level of SDL ability. The six factors of the Self-directed Learning Ability Scale-self-reflection, ability to use learning methods, ability to set study plans, ability to set studying objectives, ability to adjust psychological state, and willpower in studying-accounted for 12.90%, 12.89%, 12.39%, 11.94%, 11.34%, and 8.67% of the variance, respectively. Furthermore, career calling was positively associated with SDL learning ability (β = 0.295, p < 0.001), and SDL learning ability was positively associated with teaching competencies (β = 0.191, p < 0.01). Simple slope analysis showed that when the level of teaching competencies was higher, the influence of career calling on SDL ability was stronger.

CONCLUSIONS

Chinese medical students' SDL ability has room for improvement. Medical students could strengthen their willpower in studying by setting milestones goals with rewards, which could inspire their motivation for the next goals. Teachers should guide students to learn experience to improve students' reflective ability. Educators play a crucial role in bridging the gap between career calling education and SDL ability enhancement, highlighting the significance of optimal teaching competencies. Colleges should focus on strengthening teachers' sense of career calling and teaching competencies.

The latent structure of the Delis-Kaplan system for autism

A core feature of autism is deficits in executive functioning (EF), including difficulty with planning, cognitive flexibility, and working memory. Despite a growing need for evidence-based assessments of EF for autism populations, statistical models of many commonly used measures of EF, including the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS), have not been investigated for a sample of autistic participants. The purpose of this study was to address a gap in the literature regarding the latent structure of the D-KEFS in a sample of autistic individuals. The D-KEFS is one of the most widely used clinical assessments of executive function, but its factor structure has not been examined in a sample of autistic participants. Reliability analyses were performed for sample subgroups based on participants' clinical and demographic characteristics, including IQ, autism severity, age, and race/ethnicity. Verbal Fluency (VF) was found to consistently decrease or not affect the overall reliability score. Additionally, one- and two-factor structure models were tested for the D-KEFS with a sample of autistic participants. The one-factor model was not found to be a good fit for the data. However, the two-factor model, with Cognitive Flexibility and Abstraction latent factors, was found to fit the data relatively well. This two-factor model was reexamined excluding the VF observed variable, resulting in a better overall model fit. Communication deficits are a common feature of autism, which explains why the VF task, that requires participants to produce novel words, may not be an adequate measure of executive function for autism populations.

Predictors of Procrastination in a Moderated Mediation Analysis: The Roles of Problematic Smartphone Use, Psychological Flexibility, and Gender

Research has revealed that problematic smartphone use is a cause of procrastination. This study investigated the predictive role of problematic smartphone use on procrastination with consideration of the mediating effect of psychological flexibility. The moderating role of gender in the frequency of checking smartphones was also tested in this mediational model. Of total, 471 undergraduate students (369 female, 102 male) with a mean age of 20.65 participated in the study. The study was conducted face to face in classroom settings, and the results of the analysis revealed that psychological flexibility indeed affected the relationship between problematic smart phone use and procrastination. In addition, moderated mediation analysis suggested that female university students were significantly impacted. Finally, it was observed that psychological flexibility played a significant role amongst the female university students surveyed in the relationship between problematic smart phone use and procrastination.

Predicting alcohol use with subjective and objective measures of cognitive function in healthy college students

Objective: The current study examined the association between subjective and objective cognitive measures and alcohol use in college students. Objective cognitive impairment is associated with alcohol use, however subjective cognitive impairment remains understudied in at-risk populations. Participants: Data were collected from 140 undergraduate students at a mid-sized private university. Methods: We used the Behavior Rating Inventory for Executive Function-Adult (BRIEF-A) and the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Task (ROCF) as our subjective and objective measures of cognitive functioning respectively. Results: In our regression model, the BRIEF-A was significantly associated with the AUDIT in college students such that more poorly perceived cognitive functioning predicted higher degrees of problematic drinking. However, the relationship between the ROCF and drinking was less clear. Conclusions: Our study shows that perception of one's cognitive functioning is related to alcohol use and may be a potential risk factor for hazardous drinking in college students. Our results also suggest that subjective functioning is more strongly related to alcohol use than objective functioning, however further research is needed to replicate our results.

The combined value of executive functions and self-regulated learning to predict differences in study success among higher education students

Introduction

Self-regulated learning (SRL) has traditionally been associated with study success in higher education. In contrast, study success is still rarely associated with executive functions (EF), while it is known from neuropsychological practice that EF can influence overall functioning and performance. However some studies have shown relationships between EF and study success, but this has mainly been investigated in school children and adolescents. EF refer to higher-order cognitive processes to regulate cognition, behavior, and emotion in service of adaptive and goal-directed behaviors. SRL is a dynamic process in which learners activate and maintain cognitions, affects, and behaviors to achieve personal learning goals. This study explores the added value of including EF and SRL to predict study success (i.e., the obtained credits).

Methods

In this study, we collected data from 315 first-year psychology students of a University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands who completed questionnaires related to both EF (BRIEF) and SRL (MSLQ) two months after the start of the academic year. Credit points were obtained at the end of that first academic year. We used Structural Equation Modeling to test whether EF and SRL together explain more variance in study success than either concept alone.

Results

EF explains 19.8% of the variance, SRL 22.9%, and in line with our hypothesis, EF and SRL combined explain 39.8% of the variance in obtained credits.

Discussion

These results indicate that focusing on EF and SRL could lead to a better understanding of how higher education students learn successfully. This might be the objective of further investigation.

Improved attention and performance monitoring in high procrastinating students after positive relative to negative norm-referenced feedback

Procrastination is an irrational delay of task completion. Previous studies have demonstrated that individuals who often procrastinate present deficits in attentional control and performance monitoring and that these dysfunctions might be differentially manifested depending on the motivational context. Building upon these results, the present event-related potential (ERP) study aimed to investigate the impact of norm-referenced feedback on executive functions among students with high (HP; N = 75) or low (LP; N = 77) procrastination levels. Participants completed the parametric Go/No-Go task, while receiving either positive or negative false feedback indicating how well they performed in comparison to others. The results indicated that positive (as opposed to negative) feedback led to higher self-reported arousal and increased post-error slowing in HP (vs. LP) participants. Moreover, neurophysiological measures indicated lower neural activation linked to attentional control (P300) and performance monitoring (ERN, CRN and Pe) in HP than LP participants, while the groups did not differ in these indices during the positive feedback condition. Obtained findings indicate that HP might be more sensitive to the motivating effects of success and more vulnerable to the detrimental influence of failure.

Executive functioning as a moderator of flossing behaviour among young adults: a temporal self-regulation theory perspective

Background

Flossing among young adults is often infrequent and barriers not completely understood. One explanation concerns the capacity for executive functioning (EF) during the self-regulation of behaviour.

Methods

Using Temporal Self-Regulation Theory (TST) as a framework to explore EF, young adults from Norwegian universities completed a survey that measured monthly flossing frequency, flossing-related intentions and behavioural prepotency (BP), and EF using the Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function - Adult Version (BRIEF-A).

Results

Data from 362 participants were analysed. The TST-model explained a substantial proportion of variance in monthly flossing (R2 = 0.74), and flossing was associated directly with intention and BP, and interactions between intention and both BP and global-EF. Sub-domains of EF were explored using the same model, revealing that behavioural regulation processes, specifically those related to emotional control and shifting between tasks, offered better fit. Simple slopes revealed that moderation effects were only present at lower levels of BP.

Conclusion

EF plays a role in moderating the translation of intentions into flossing behaviour. Specifically, emotional control and task-shifting appear to be influential, and this influence increases when habitual and environmental support (i.e. BP) is reduced. Overcoming EF-barriers may represent a key step in establishing flossing behaviours.

Association between impulsivity and cognitive capacity decrease is mediated by smartphone addiction, academic procrastination, bedtime procrastination, sleep insufficiency and daytime fatigue among medical students: a path analysis

BACKGROUND

Medical students are at high risk for sleep disturbance. One possible cause of their sleeping problem is impulsivity. We aim to investigate the possible mediators between medical students' impulsivity and sleep outcomes. Thus, we developed and investigated a model where the predictors were attentional, non-planning, and motor impulsivity subtraits. In the final model, subjective cognitive capacity decrease was the outcome variable. In light of previous findings, academic procrastination, smartphone addiction, and bedtime procrastination were considered important mediators as well as two variables of poor sleep, sleeping insufficiency, and daytime fatigue.

METHODS

Medical students (N = 211; age_M = 22.15 years; age_SD = 3.47 years; 71.6% women) were recruited to complete an online survey comprised of demographics (age, gender), self-administered scales (Abbreviated Impulsiveness Scale, Bedtime Procrastination Scale, Abbreviated Impulsiveness Scale, Academic Procrastination Scale-Short Form) and questions on tiredness, daily fatigue and subjective cognitive capacity decrease. Correlation and path analyses were implemented to examine hypothesized relationships between the variables.

RESULTS

Both attentional impulsivity (β = 0.33, p < .001) and non-planning impulsivity (β = -0.19, p < .01) had a direct relationship with cognitive capacity decrease. Attentional impulsivity was also associated with decreased cognitive capacity with a serial mediation effect via smartphone addiction, academic procrastination, bedtime procrastination, sleep insufficiency and fatigue (estimate = 0.017, p < .01). The indirect link between non-planning impulsivity and cognitive capacity decrease was mediated by academic procrastination, bedtime procrastination, sleep insufficiency and fatigue (estimate = 0.011, p < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

Inability to stay focused and plan tasks effectively (directly and indirectly) predicts poor sleep outcomes. This relationship is mediated by excessive smartphone use, academic procrastination, and bedtime procrastination. Our findings are relevant in light of self-regulatory learning, which is crucial in medical education. This is a recursive cycle of planning, emotion regulation, proper strategy selection and self-monitoring. Future interventions addressing attentional and non-planning impulsivity, problematic smartphone use, academic procrastination, and in turn, bedtime procrastination might make this routine more effective. In the conclusion section, practical implications of the results are discussed.

Impulsiveness among Undergraduates from the United Arab Emirates and Jordan: Role of Socio-demographic Variables

BACKGROUND

Some undergraduate students may appear impulsive in their behavior without taking enough time to think, and impulsiveness may vary according to gender, academic specialization, and academic level.

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated the differences in impulsiveness between undergraduates of different gender, academic specializations, and academic years at three private universities in the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.

METHOD

The research design of the study was a survey in nature. The researchers collected data online using a translated Arabic version of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) as described in Patton et al..1 A sample of 334 undergraduates was selected using the convenient non-probability sample technique.

RESULTS

To analyze data, the researchers deployed descriptive and inferential statistics and found no significant differences between the students in the subscales of motor impulsiveness, non-planning, attentional impulsiveness, and the total scale score according to gender, academic specializations, and academic years variables.

CONCLUSION

The researchers concluded that undergraduates have a moderate level of impulsiveness; except for attentional impulsiveness, the results indicated that the average student's score on the subscale was low. Motor impulsiveness, non-planning impulsiveness, and attentional impulsiveness were not significantly different between males and females, academic specialization, academic year variables, and their interaction. The limitations and implications of these findings are discussed.

Demographic factors, personality, and executive functions as predictors of procrastination in Polish and Ukrainian youth

BACKGROUND

Procrastination is an irrational and unproductive behavior that disrupts psychological well-being and the quality of interpersonal relationships. The study aimed to determine the differences between Polish and Ukrainian youth in procrastinating and establish personality and executive functions as predictors of procrastination. Also, cultural differences were taken into account.

PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE

It included 180 students (86 females and 94 males) aged 12 to 17; 84 lived in Lublin, Poland, while 96 lived in Lviv, Ukraine. The Pure Procrastination Scale, Ten Item Personality Inventory, and Comprehensive Executive Function Inventory were used.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in the level of procrastination between the whole Polish and Ukrainian groups, but age was an important predictor of procrastination. Gender was not a differentiating factor within the Polish or Ukrainian group. The most stable negative set of predictors of procrastination appeared to be age, agreeableness, and inhibitory control. These traits can be helpful in dealing with procrastination tendencies.

CONCLUSIONS

Our research shows that an ability to control procrastination depends more on predispositions related to personality traits than on executive function improvement linked to the maturation of the frontal lobes. Combining the demographic, personality, and executive variables showed that students in the older age groups were more resistant to procrastination.

Exploring research trends of procrastination: a bibliometric analysis during 2010 to 2020

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to offer insight into procrastination over the past decade using bibliometric analysis to gauge the evolving journey of this concept. Thus, the concept of procrastination is examined in terms of authors, affiliating institutions, countries, citation patterns, bibliometric coupling and co-occurrence analysis.

Design/methodology/approach

For exploring the research work on procrastination, the bibliometric analysis was conducted for co-authorship, co-occurrence of keywords, citation network analysis, most influential authors, document and country wise bibliometric coupling by taking 630 publications between the years 2010–2020 into consideration. Software like VOSviewer and Tableau was used for result analysis. In addition, the content analysis was used for the top research papers amongst the eleven different clusters.

Findings

The study reveals the nature and direction of research over the past decade on procrastination. The most prominent journals, authors, articles, institutions, countries and keywords have been identified. The topic shows an upward trend of research as no consolidation or maturity in the pattern is observed. Frontiers In Psychology had the highest number of publications followed by Personality And Individual Differences. The top three contributors are Sirosis, F.M., Feng, T. and Ferrari, J.R. The country-wise analysis shows the USA leading followed by Germany, China and Canada. UiT The Arctic University of Norway was having the most significant contribution followed by The Ohio State University, DePaul University and Tel Hai Academic College. The most prominent themes and documents are reported. In addition, the content analysis depicted the need to conduct the research work on the certain themes which may usher the researchers towards more conceptual clarity and strategizing.

Originality/value

Sufficient discourse and relevant literature are available about procrastination, bedtime procrastination and academic procrastination and related areas. However, procrastination is becoming a universal issue, especially in the field of human resources and workforce development. This paper attempts to facilitate the policy-makers, regulators, researchers and practitioners to explore allied and less explored areas of procrastination that need future investigation.

Chinese students' filial piety beliefs and procrastination in mathematics learning: The mediating role of academic emotions

This study examined the relations between Chinese students' filial piety beliefs and mathematics procrastination and the mediating role of academic emotions in the relations. Analysis of data on 1,476 primary school students in China with structural equation modeling revealed that students' reciprocal and authoritarian filial piety beliefs were positively related to academic enjoyment and anxiety, respectively. Students' procrastination in mathematics learning was positively related to anxiety and authoritarian filial piety beliefs and had negative associations with enjoyment and reciprocal filial piety beliefs. The bootstrap analysis results confirmed the mediating role of anxiety in the relation between authoritarian filial piety beliefs and procrastination. Reciprocal filial piety beliefs had negative indirect relationship with procrastination via enjoyment. The results were explained from a socio-cultural perspective. The theoretical contributions and practical implications are discussed.

A comparison of Barkley's behavioral inhibition model (1997) with Barkley's updated executive functioning model in predicting adult ADHD symptoms: A preliminary report using structural equation modeling

One of the most comprehensive approaches to explaining attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms is Barkley's behavioral inhibition model (BBIM) (1997), in which behavioral inhibition (BI) plays a primary role. Due to the substantial role of working memory (WM) in explaining ADHD symptoms, Barkley recently updated his model and elevated WM from a mediator variable (in BBIM) to a primary position as an exogenous variable alongside BI, and titled his new model as Barkley's updated executive functioning model (BUEFM). However, since the information about the explanatory power of the new model is sparse, this study aims to investigate the impact of this change in WM role by comparing these two models to explain ADHD symptoms. The study involved a sample of 184 (96 females and 88 males) undergraduate students with high ADHD symptoms who were selected using the purposive sampling method. For assessing models, we have utilized four tools that include: CNS-Vital Sign Test Battery; Barkley Deficit in Executive Functioning Scale; self-verbalization questionnaire (SVQ); and trail making test. We analyzed the data by running structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis using IBM AMOS software version 22. The results show that Model Comparison Measurement (e.g. AIC was 197.583 and 144.614 for BBIM and BUEFM, respectively) and Model Fit Indices (e.g. root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) obtained 0.076 and 0.067 for BBIM and BUEFM, respectively) representing that BUEFM had a better value than BBIM, which means that the BUEFM was considered better fitting to the data. The findings of this study show that BUEFM has more Predictive power than BBIM to predict symptoms of ADHD through the motor control fluency (MOT) variable.

Examination of non-cognitive variables affecting academic achievement: a conceptual model proposal

Psychological factors have a significant role in better understanding mechanisms that affect students' academic performance. The intense and long-term stress of the pandemic process has made it necessary to rethink the components which effect the academic achievement of pupils. The purpose of this study is to examine the variables that predict the academic achievement of university students during the pandemic process and to present a model on these variables. The study group has 241 students who continue their undergraduate education in Turkey. The data were collected with a self-description form and 6 scales. The partial Least Squares (PLS) Structural Equation Model was used to analyses the developed research model. In consequence of the study, a relationship was obtained between academic procrastination (AP) and multi-screen addiction (MSA). Covid-19 burnout has a crucial effect on AP, multiscreen addiction, and psychological well-being variables. Motivation and self regulation-attention variables are explanatory of AP. This study contributes to expanding the nomological network regarding the effects of Covid-19 on the psychological well-being and behavior of individuals.

Assessment of procrastination in providing nursing care among Iranian nursing staff

AIM

This study aimed to investigate procrastination in nursing care providing.

DESIGN

This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out on 125 nurses in ICUs, PICUs, NICUs, and surgery wards, who were selected by census sampling in Iran.

METHODS

The data were collected using the Procrastination Scale, which consisted of 25 items relating to 3 factors. Data were analyzed using statistics, Chi-square, Friedman test, analysis of variance, and Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests.

RESULTS

Overall, 37% of the participants showed very high or high procrastination. Most of the procrastination was observed in the "Task aversion" (44.2%). ANOVA indicated that the mean total procrastination score had a significant relationship with age (p = 0.013), work experience (p = 0.006), and marital status (p = 0.02). Nurses with permanent employment (p = 0.014) and lower education (p = 0.009) and women (p = 0.023) were much more likely to procrastinate the provision of care.

CONCLUSION

It is recommended to adopt appropriate management strategies and take adequate measures to reduce procrastination, considering the existence of procrastination among nurses and its adverse impact on the quality of care.

Effects of self-regulated learning and procrastination on academic stress, subjective well-being, and academic achievement in secondary education

The main objective of this study was to test a structural theoretical model of the effects of self-regulated learning on academic stress, subjective well-being, and academic achievement in Secondary Education, considering academic procrastination as a mediator. An additional aim was to explore whether these relationships were moderated by gender and educational level. Participants were 728 students in compulsory and post-compulsory secondary education in a large city in Eastern Spain. Path analysis results indicated that the proposed model showed satisfactory fit, with the three dimensions of self-regulated learning significantly predicting the educational outcomes considered, and that procrastination mediated these relationships. Overall, the model is able to predict 9.8% of the variance of academic stress, 23.1% of students wellbeing, and 14% of academic achievement. Moreover, the multi-group routine revealed no moderation effects due to gender, but educational level moderated two relationships, between self-efficacy and academic achievement and between metacognitive strategies and procrastination. Additionally, supplementary models were tested for three specific subjects (Spanish Language, Foreign Language and Mathematics), which showed an improvement in explained variance, being respectively: 29%, 28% and 27%. Results are discussed in light of previous research and in terms of their impact on educational practice.

Influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on executive skills in Canadians experiencing social vulnerability: A descriptive study

The objective of this study was to describe executive skills in clients experiencing social vulnerability in the context of COVID-19 from the perspective of social service agency staff. COVID-19 has required transformational changes to livelihood and day-to-day living. Socially vulnerable individuals are likely to be disproportionally impacted because many have experienced serious early childhood adversity, which may compromise their executive skills in adulthood. Using a cross-sectional survey, we collected data between 05 May 2020 and 03 July 2020, for this mixed methods study of 53 staff in two agencies in western Canada serving clients experiencing social vulnerability. The first case of COVID-19 in this jurisdiction was identified 05 March 2020. Using investigator-designed survey items, we captured executive skills in five areas: (a) planning tasks of daily living, (b) managing time, (c) keeping track of information and appointments, (d) managing emotions, and (e) managing self-control. Staff reported their clients struggled with executive skills and these struggles increased during COVID-19, particularly in the areas of managing daily tasks and emotional regulation. COVID-19 restrictions overwhelmed clients with the decisions required to maintain health, employment, and childcare. With the loss of structure and routine, clients lost track of time and delayed completion of tasks, which further increased stress. Disrupted goals and uncertainty about the future contributed to hopelessness for clients who were trying to regain control over their lives, which made it difficult to manage emotions. Some clients acted more impulsively because of the added stressors, lack of routine and access to friends and extended family. A better understanding of the impact of COVID-19 on socially vulnerable clients will inform social service agencies about areas to focus programming to support their socially vulnerable clients.

The moderating role of sex in the relationship between executive functions and academic procrastination in undergraduate students

The objective of the study was to determine if sex plays a moderating role in the relationship between executive functions and academic procrastination in 106 university students of both genders (28.3% male and 71.7% female) between the ages of 18 and 30 years (M = 19.7; SD = 2.7). The Academic Procrastination Scale and the Neuropsychological Battery of Executive Functions and Frontal Lobes (BANFE-2) were used to measure the variables. The results of the study showed that the degree of prediction of the tasks linked to the orbitomedial cortex (involves the orbitofrontal cortex [OFC] and the medial prefrontal cortex [mPFC]) on academic procrastination is significantly moderated by the sex of the university students (β₃ = 0.53; p < 0.01). For men, the estimated effect of the tasks linked to the orbitomedial cortex on the degree of academic procrastination is −0.81. For women, the estimated effect of the tasks linked to the orbitomedial cortex on the degree of academic procrastination is −0.28. In addition, it was shown that sex does not play a moderating role in the relationship between the tasks linked to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and academic procrastination (β₃ = 0.12; p > 0.05). It was also determined that sex does not play a moderating role in the relationship between the tasks linked to the anterior prefrontal cortex (aPFC) and academic procrastination (β₃ = 0.05; p > 0.05). It is concluded that only the executive functions associated with the orbitomedial cortex are moderated by the sex of the university students, where the impact of the tasks linked to the orbitomedial cortex on academic procrastination in men is significantly greater than in women.

Validation of the executive function strategy awareness and use questionnaire (SAUQ) in a university student population

Objective: The aim of the study is to design and evaluate the Strategy Awareness and Use Questionnaire to estimate students' awareness and use of strategies that optimize control of attention and/or compensate for stress on an executive system due to environmental and/or neurobiological influences. Participants: One hundred and forty-eight undergraduate and graduate students from various disciplines at an urban Canadian university campus participated in the Spring 2019 semester. Methods: An item analysis was conducted that included an assessment of dimensionality and item trimming. Results: Findings from an exploratory factor analysis suggest a seven-factor solution is optimal; Comprehension Monitoring, Planning/Organization, Self-Reward, Self-Regulation, Organization with Mobile Phone Technology, Regulating Technology, and Organization of Materials. Conclusion: This measure is likely to benefit students, as well as counselors and coaches interested in improving EF strategy use among students in a university population.

The interplay of ADHD characteristics and executive functioning with the GPA and divergent thinking of engineering students: A conceptual replication and extension

Characteristics of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and executive functioning difficulties have been found to correspond with poorer academic outcomes on the one hand and enhanced divergent thinking on the other hand. The current study was conducted to better understand the relationship between ADHD characteristics, executive functioning difficulties, divergent thinking, and academic outcomes by conceptually replicating and expanding on a previous study. Undergraduate engineering students (N = 199) at a public university in the northeastern United States completed self-report measures of ADHD characteristics and daily executive functioning, as well as divergent thinking (figural and verbal) and intelligence quotient (IQ) tests. The results of a series of multiple regression models showed that (1) executive functioning difficulties negatively, and non-verbal IQ and figural divergent thinking positively, predicted engineering grade point average (GPA; obtained from the university registrar’s office), (2) GPA and verbal IQ positively predicted figural divergent thinking scores, and (3) verbal IQ positively predicted verbal divergent thinking scores. A series of multiple regression models testing the assertion that controlling for IQ would strengthen the relationship between divergent thinking and ADHD characteristics or executive functioning were not supported but did show associations between select components of characteristics and divergent thinking. Taken together, these results support previous conclusions that students with ADHD characteristics and executive functioning difficulties may struggle academically yet exhibit select enhanced divergent thinking abilities.

Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function - adult version (BRIEF-A) in Iranian University students: Factor structure and relationship to depressive symptom severity

Major depressive disorder is the most common psychiatric illness in Iran, and depression is common among university students in the country. The presence of depression is frequently associated with problems in executive functioning. The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult Version (BRIEF-A) is a questionnaire measure designed to assess executive functioning in everyday life in clinical and non-clinical populations. Currently, there is limited empirical validation of the measure for use in Iran. This study evaluated the psychometric properties of a Persian-language BRIEF-A in a sample of Iranian university students (n = 300). The factor structure of the BRIEF-A was examined via a confirmatory factor analysis. We also evaluated whether BRIEF-A scores differed among university students varying in severity of depressive symptoms (Minimal, Mild, Moderate, Severe) as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory - II. Results indicated that a two-factor model structure best fit the data for the BRIEF-A. Acceptable internal consistency was also observed. Furthermore, poorer subjective executive functioning was endorsed by the three depressive subgroups relative to the Minimal symptoms group. Together, these findings support a two-factor model for the Persian translation of the BRIEF-A, and indicate that more severe depressive symptoms in Iranian university students is associated with worse subjective executive functioning.

Indoor Pool Game and Substance Abuse as Trajectories to Students' Academic Procrastination: The Mediation Role of Self-Regulation

Background

Over the last decade, indoor pool games (IPGs) and substance abuse (SA) became a remarkable emerging addictive behavior among adolescent university students. With the failure of educational quality and retention of learners, boomerangs around the university local environment in line with the students' learning culture were not considered in many countries including Ethiopia. Thus, this study aimed to examine the trajectory and contribution of an IPG and SA to students' academic procrastination (AP) as determinants of quality education.

Methods

A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was employed. Self-reporting questionnaires, interview guides, and an observation checklist were used to collect data. All self-reporting items were adapted from previous scales. By using simple random sampling techniques, 237 undergraduate university students were selected for obtaining the quantitative data, and using purposive sampling, 12 interviewees were selected to collect the qualitative data. The SPSS AMOS version 25 was used to compute the multiple mediation path analysis. The Hayes PROCESS macro model was used. Furthermore, the thematic content analysis method was employed for the qualitative data.

Results

A direct path analysis was established between IPG, SA, and AP. The path analysis model indicated that IPG did not significantly predict AP. Moreover, SA significantly predicted AP. In addition, SR had a partial mediating effect on the relationship between IPG, SA, and AP.

Conclusion

The study concluded that IPG and substances available around the university local environment found trajectories to students' AP, which in turn affects the quality of education.

Perfectionistic Concerns and Mobile Phone Addiction of Chinese College Students: The Moderated Mediation of Academic Procrastination and Causality Orientations

This study aimed to investigate the effect of perfectionistic concerns (PC) on mobile phone addiction (MPA) and the mediating role of academic procrastination (AP), as well as the moderating role of causality orientations (autonomous/controlled/impersonal orientation). A cross-sectional sample of 625 Chinese college students (20.8% male, mean age = 20.47 years old) completed measures of PC, AP, causality orientations, and MPA. We analyzed the survey data using structural equation modeling (SEM) in Mplus 8.0. PC was positively related to MPA. In addition, AP partially mediated this association. The hypothesized moderating effect of autonomous orientation and controlled orientation was not supported. Impersonal orientation moderated the second stage of the mediating effect of AP on the PC-MPA link in that the mediating effect was positive when impersonal orientation was high, while the mediating effect was not significant when impersonal orientation was low. The findings confirm the importance of investigating how individual difference (i.e., PC) contributes to MPA. The implications of the findings for relieving MPA or preventing college students from developing MPA are also discussed deeply and thoroughly.

The role of executive functioning in health self-management and the transition to adult health care among college students

ObjectiveTo examine the role of executive functioning (EF) in health self-management and the transition to adult health care among college students. Participants: A total of 378 undergraduate students from a public university participated in the study. Methods: Participants reported on EF, health self-management skills, and their readiness to transition to adult care. Mediation analyses were conducted to evaluate indirect effects of EF on readiness to transition via health self-management skills. Results: Students with greater EF difficulties were less ready to transition to adult care. Specific aspects of health self-management (Medication management/Appointment keeping) mediated the relationship between EF and readiness to transition. Conclusion: EF is a key developmental aspect of health self-management and transition readiness. Assessing EF strengths/weaknesses in students with suboptimal health self-management skills may provide valuable information for informing the development of individually-tailored transition plans in university health centers, thereby enhancing developmentally appropriate care during the college years.

Exploring the relationship between ADHD, its common comorbidities, and their relationship to organizational skills

BACKGROUND

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting numerous executive functioning skills, such as organizational skills. While the relationship between the inattention aspect of ADHD and poor organizational skills is well documented, it is still unclear if lower organizational skills are only associated with ADHD or if they are also associated with other comorbid disorders commonly diagnosed in conjunction with ADHD. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the relationship between organizational skills and ADHD in adults, as well as the impact of comorbid disorders on ADHD in relation to organizational skills.

METHODS

Four hundred seven (n = 201 with a diagnosis of ADHD) adults from the general population were recruited online. Participants completed a measure of organizational skills, measures assessing levels of ADHD, depression, and anxiety, and extensive demographic information related to their diagnosis of ADHD or other possible diagnosis.

RESULTS

Participants with a diagnosis of ADHD were significantly more likely to have a comorbid diagnosis of depression and/or anxiety. Organizational skills were significantly lower in individuals who reported having received a diagnosis of ADHD, but not in those with a past diagnosis of depression and anxiety. However, organizational skills were lower in individuals currently experiencing higher levels of depression and anxiety. The results of regression analyses suggest that levels of organizational skills are most strongly predicted by inattention and more weakly predicted by comorbid disorders.

DISCUSSION

These results highlight the centrality of organizational skills deficit in ADHD as well as the influence of the inattention component over other components commonly observed in ADHD on organizational skills. Suggestions for treatment of ADHD in adults are discussed.

The anxiety-specific hippocampus-prefrontal cortex pathways links to procrastination through self-control

Procrastination, which is defined as delaying an intended course of action despite negative outcomes, is demonstrated to have a deal with negative emotion including trait anxiety. Although highly anxious individuals showed impoverished control ability, no studies have indicated the role of self-control in the relationship between trait anxiety and procrastination, and its neural correlates. To this end, we used the sliding window method to calculate the temporal deviation of dynamic functional connectivity (FC) in 312 healthy participants who underwent the resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning. In line with our hypothesis, higher trait anxiety is linked to more procrastination via poorer self-control. Besides, the dynamic FC analyses showed that trait anxiety was positively correlated with dynamic FC variability in hippocampus-prefrontal cortex (HPC-PFC) pathways, including left rostral hippocampus-left superior frontal gyrus (left rHPC-left SFG), and left rHPC-right middle frontal gyrus (left rHPC--MFG). Furthermore, the structural equation modeling (SEM) uncovered a mediated role of self-control in the association between the anxiety-specific brain connectivity and procrastination. These findings suggest that the HPC-PFC pathways may reflect impoverished regulatory ability over the negative thoughts for anxious individuals, and thereby incurs more procrastination, which enhances our understanding of how trait anxiety links to procrastination.

A Mediating Model of Emotional Balance and Procrastination on Academic Performance

Deficit in the management of time continues to be an important difficulty students are faced with. The present work aimed to test the hypothesis that self-regulation is the major predictor of academic performance and that this effect can be mediated both by the student’s emotional regulation and his propensity for procrastination. Participants were 450 university students who were administered MPP and AIP. The procedures involved the administration of instruments and the collection of average exam grades as a measure of academic performance. The effect of a specific component of self-regulation on academic performance, namely action orientation, was significant, while procrastination showed a limiting effect on the performative quality of the student. The model confirmed the mediation role of emotional balance on the effect that action orientation exerts on procrastination, and the mediation of procrastination in the relationship between action orientation and Academic Performance. Results of the study suggest focusing on student support and on prevention of procrastinating behavior through programs that enhance first of all student’s proactive attitude, planning skills, self-monitoring and effective/efficient time management, and secondly, emotional awareness and regulation of emotional response in situations of stress and performance anxiety.

The Relationship between Physical Activity and Academic Procrastination in Chinese College Students: The Mediating Role of Self-Efficacy

Background: Academic procrastination (AP) has been a common problematic behavior in college students. While physical activity (PA) has been reported to increase self-efficacy and reduce AP, less is known about the potential relationships among them. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the mediating effect of self-efficacy on the relationship between PA and AP. Methods: 687 Chinese college students (51% males, 49% females) aged 17–23 years (M = 19.59, SD = 0.89) participated in the study. PA, self-efficacy, and AP were assessed using the Physical Activity Rating Scale-3 (PARS-3), the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Procrastination Assessment Scale-Students (PASS), respectively. Pearson correlation analysis, linear regression analysis, and mediation analysis were used to analyze the data. Results: (1) PA has a significant and negative impact on college students’ AP, (2) PA has a significant and positive impact on college students’ self-efficacy; (3) self-efficacy has a significant and negative impact on AP in college students; and (4) self-efficacy significantly mediates the relationship between PA and AP. Conclusions: PA is an effective intervention for directly and indirectly decreasing college students’ AP. Therefore, more intervention efforts should focus on the promotion of PA in higher education to improve students’ self-efficacy and thus, to reduce AP among college students.

Sex-related differences in brain dynamism at rest as neural correlates of positive and negative valence system constructs

Clinical anxiety and depression are the most prevalent mental illnesses, likely representing maladaptive expressions of negative valence systems concerned with conditioned responses to fear, threat, loss, and frustrative nonreward. These conditions exhibit similar, striking sex/gender-related differences in onset, incidence, and severity for which the neural correlates are not yet established. In alarge sample of neurotypical young adults, we demonstrate that intrinsic brain dynamism metrics derived from sex-sensitive models of whole-brain network function are significantly associated with valence system traits. Surprisingly, we found that greater brain dynamism is strongly positively correlated to anxiety and depression traits in males, but almost wholly decoupled from traits for important cognitive control and reappraisal strategies associated with positive valence. Conversely, intrinsic brain dynamism is strongly positively coupled to drive, novelty-seeking and self-control in females with only rare or non-significant directional negative correlation with anxiety and depression traits. Our results suggest that the dynamic neural correlates of traits for valence, anxiety and depression are significantly different in males/men and females/women. These findings may relate to the known sex/gender-related differences in cognitive reappraisal of emotional experiences and clinical presentations of anxiety and depression, with potential relevance to gold standard therapies based on enhancing cognitive control strategies.

Perceived Stress and Internet Addiction Among Chinese College Students: Mediating Effect of Procrastination and Moderating Effect of Flow

Perceived stress, Internet addiction and procrastination are common issues among college students. Based on the Compensatory Internet Use (CIU) model and emotion regulation theory, this study aims to explore two possible mechanisms for the connection between perceived stress and Internet addiction: mediating effect of procrastination and moderating effect of flow experience on the Internet. Cross-sectional design and questionnaire survey were used in this study. Data were collected from 446 college students who voluntarily completed self-reporting of perceived stress, internet addiction, procrastination and flow. Potential relationship structure and moderation model between variables was calculated during the process. The results revealed that there were significant associations among perceived stress, Internet addiction, procrastination and flow. The results also showed that procrastination plays a mediating role between perceptual stress and Internet addiction, flow plays a moderating role between them. The results emphasized the importance of the intention behind college students' overuse of the Internet. These results also provided a perspective of finding the possible causes of Internet addiction in college students, that is, individuals use the Internet to avoid stress and procrastinate, and the mobile experience on the Internet also affects the process.

Online and Academic Procrastination in Students With Learning Disabilities: The Impact of Academic Stress and Self-Efficacy

The steady growth in the number of college students with learning disabilities (LD) increases the need to investigate their unique characteristics and behaviors in academia. The present study examined the differences in academic and online procrastination, academic stress, and academic self-efficacy between college students with and without LD. In addition, the relationship between these variables was examined. It was assumed that the difficulties experienced by college students with LD would lead them to increased levels of academic stress, and academic and online procrastination. The results showed significant differences in the levels of all variables except online procrastination between students with (n = 77) and without (n = 98) LD. Further analysis indicated that academic stress and academic self-efficacy mediated the link between LD and academic and online procrastination. These findings support the notion that during higher education, students with LD experience more difficulties than students without LD, which at times will lead them to increased levels of procrastination. However, further studies are needed to understand the nature of online procrastination in students with LD in higher education.

PROCRASTINAÇÃO ACADÊMICA EM ESTUDANTES UNIVERSITÁRIOS: UMA REVISÃO SISTEMÁTICA DA LITERATURA

RESUMO Procrastinação acadêmica é o adiamento de tarefas relacionadas aos estudos: realizar trabalhos, ler textos, estudar para provas, dentre outros. Este artigo teve como objetivo realizar uma revisão sistemática da literatura sobre procrastinação acadêmica em universitários, no período de 2008 a 2017. Foram escolhidas 3 bases de dados: SciELO, BvSalud e BvsPsi, com os descritores “procrastinação”, “universitários”, “procrastinação acadêmica” e seus correlatos em inglês e espanhol. A partir dos critérios de inclusão e exclusão foram selecionados 11 artigos completos. A maior parte dos trabalhos apontou a natureza nociva do comportamento procrastinatório, sua relação com a autorregulação da aprendizagem, bem como a diferença das estratégias de estudo empregadas por alunos procrastinadores e não procrastinadores. Concluiu-se que a pesquisa sobre a temática ainda é incipiente no contexto brasileiro necessitando de maior exploração por parte dos pesquisadores, com possíveis impactos para a compreensão do fenômeno e desenvolvimento de intervenções com estudantes do ensino superior.

Development and Content Validity of IFERA-II for Adults

Abstract Considering the importance of the functional assessment, a scale was developed to evaluate Executive Functions (EFs), State Regulation (SR) and Delay Aversion (DA) in adults, based on a children’s scale, and evidence of content validity was investigated. In Phase 1, items from the children’s version were adapted to generate the Inventory of Difficulties in Executive Functions, Regulation and Delay Aversion for Adults (IFERA-II), with 28 items of EFs (inhibition, working memory and flexibility), RS and DA. Analysis by judges verified the representativeness of the contents of the items. After adaptations, 18 adult participants responded to the IFERA-II and were interviewed regarding comprehension, need for examples and clarity of vocabulary. A new revision led to the preliminary version of the IFERA-II, the psychometric properties of which should be investigated.

Normative and Maladaptive Personality Traits and Self-Reported Executive Functioning

Research on self-reported executive functioning (EF) and personality has largely focused on normative personality traits. While previous research has demonstrated that maladaptive personality traits are associated with performance-based EF, the literature examining the relationship between these traits and self-reported EF is limited. The current study examined the relationship between multiple domains of self-reported EF (Barkley Deficits in Executive Functioning Scale) and both normative (The International Personality Item Pool-NEO-120 Item [IPIP-120]) and maladaptive (Personality Inventory for DSM-5-Short Form [PID-5-SF]) personality traits in an undergraduate student sample (n = 354). Similar to past research, relationships were largest across EF domains for both measures related to neuroticism (i.e., IPIP-120 neuroticism and PID-5-SF negative affectivity) and conscientiousness (i.e., IPIP-120 conscientiousness and PID-5-SF disinhibition). Normative personality traits generally accounted for greater variance in EF when examined alone and were also generally associated with greater incremental validity when compared with maladaptive personality traits. However, multiple regression analyses indicated that maladaptive personality traits added unique predictive variance above and beyond normative personality traits in their association with multiple domains of EF. These results highlight the utility of assessing both normative and maladaptive personality traits as well as multiple domains of EF to more fully understand the relationship between personality and EF.

Sex, Education and Procrastination: An Epidemiological Study of Procrastinators’ Characteristics from A Global Sample

Procrastination is a common form of self–regulatory failure with substantive connections to lower levels of health, wealth and well–being. Conducting an epidemiological study, we determined the characteristics of prototypical procrastinators from a global sample based on several relevant self–reported demographic variables. Using an internet sampling strategy, we surveyed 16 413 English–speaking adults (58.3% women; 41.7% men: M age = 38.3 years, SD = 14), specifically on the variables of sex, age, marital status, family size, education, community location, and national origin. Almost all the results were statistically significant because of our large sample size. However, procrastination tendencies were most prominently associated with sex, age, marital status, education and nationality. Procrastinators tended to be young, single men with less education, residing in countries with lower levels of self–discipline. Notably, procrastination mediated the relationship between sex and education, providing further support that men are lagging behind women academically because of lower self–regulatory skills. Given procrastination's connection with a variety of societal ailments (e.g. excessive debt, delayed medical treatment), identifying risk factors and at risk populations should be helpful for directing preventative public policy. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

"Tomorrow is the busiest day of the week": Executive functions mediate the relation between procrastination and attention problems

We examined whether executive functions (EFs) mediate the relation between procrastination and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in college students. Participants: One hundred fourteen undergraduates were recruited for study participation. Methods: Participants completed measures of academic performance, procrastination, ADHD symptoms, EFs (as measured by five EF facets: time management, organization/problem-solving, restraint, motivation, and emotion regulation), and common comorbid concerns for college students between May 2017 and May 2018. A mediational framework was utilized to examine the associations among procrastination, EFs, and four ADHD symptoms domains. Results: Results indicated that both procrastination and GPA correlated with EFs and three ADHD symptom domains. While EFs mediated the association between procrastination and ADHD symptoms, follow-up analyses suggested that self-management of time and organization/problem-solving are the specific pathways through which procrastination is indirectly associated with ADHD symptoms. Conclusions: Promising areas for future research and potential intervention targets are discussed.

Cumulative Childhood Maltreatment and Executive Functioning in Adulthood

Maltreatment during childhood has detrimental consequences for survivors. Among children, maltreatment predicts deficits in cognition and impairment in academic and emotional functioning. Although studied extensively in children, the extent to which cognitive deficits are evident in adulthood has been examined to a lesser extent. Executive functioning (EF) is a set of cognitive processes that help to guide behavior toward goals and is characterized by a prolonged maturational time course. As such, it is particularly vulnerable to the effects of early stress, which confers risk for psychopathology. Thus, it is critical to assess the potential impact of childhood trauma on adult EF. The present study sought to assess the impact of a history of childhood maltreatment on EF during adulthood using both self-reported and task-based measures of EF processes. Higher levels of cumulative childhood maltreatment predicted poorer EF. Furthermore, deficits were not accounted for by current symptoms of depression and anxiety, indicating that the impact of childhood maltreatment on cognitive functioning in adulthood is not the result of current internalizing psychopathology.

Measurement of parental executive function in early childhood settings: Instrument reliability and validity in community-led research projects

A growing number of early childhood (EC) parenting programs target adult executive function (EF) to build responsive parenting behaviors and to promote positive child development. Although measurement of EF is well understood in academic research, little work has examined EF measurement in community settings. The present study examined psychometric properties of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult Version among 203 parents whose children were enrolled in EC programs serving under-resourced communities. We calculated Cronbach's α and mean-item correlations to test internal consistency reliability. To test factor structure, we conducted exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analyses. Results suggest adequate internal consistency and that factor structures, beyond the original proposed, are appropriate for our community sample. Together, findings indicate that self-report measures of adult EF may perform differently for families experiencing adversity, raising questions about the acceptability of clinical EF tools in in underserved communities.