The Mediating Role of Academic Self-Efficacy in the Relationship Between Procrastination and Test Anxiety Among Second-Year Students of College of Allied Health Sciences in PHINMA University of Pangasinan

Procrastination and text anxiety are two of the most prevalent ongoing matters that hinder the academic performance of students. Self-efficacy, on the other hand, plays a crucial role in performing academic tasks. The goal of this research is to shed light on a crucial but understudied aspect of student behavior by investigating how the level of academic self-efficacy can influence the link between procrastination and test anxiety. To address this gap, researchers employed a cross-sectional-explanatory design as proposed by Johnson (2001) and conducted mediation analysis following Baron and Kenny’s framework of mediation analysis. The sample for this study consisted of 321 second-year students at the College of Allied Health Sciences Department of PHINMA University of Pangasinan. The study’s data were collected through self-report questionnaires, including the Academic Procrastination Scale (McCloskey, 2011), Westside Test Anxiety Scale (WTAS), and General Academic Self-Efficacy (GASE). The researchers’ findings showed a positive correlation between procrastination and academic self-efficacy, suggesting that students who engage in procrastination may possess greater confidence in their academic performance. Additionally, the researchers also identified a negative correlation between procrastination and test anxiety, indicating that procrastination may be linked to lower levels of test anxiety. Moreover, a negative correlation between test anxiety and academic self-efficacy is associated with reduced test anxiety. Mediation analysis also showed that self-efficacy was fully mediated by procrastination and test anxiety. The researchers stress the need for further research to understand the intricate dynamics of strategies to enhance academic self-efficacy.