The Impact of Learned Helplessness on Academic Procrastination Mediated by Self-Motivation among Jordanian University Students

Abstract

This study examines how Self-Motivation and learned Helplessness influence academic Procrastination. This study utilized a quantitative survey to analyze the relationships between learned Helplessness, academic Procrastination, and Self-Motivation among 421 Jordanian university students. Data analysis involved descriptive assessments, reliability, and validity checks using SPSS. SmartPLS 4, specifically Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), was employed for hypothesis testing, suited for complex models and smaller samples. The questionnaire was built based on scales by Moneva et al. (2020), Tuckman (1991), and Quinless et al. (1988), comprising of 45 items across three sections, measuring Self-Motivation, Procrastination, and Learned Helplessness. The study's findings provide substantial support for a significant inverse relationship between Learned Helplessness and Self-Motivation and between Self-Motivation and Academic Procrastination. Learned Helplessness is found to have a positive impact on Academic Procrastination, and Self-Motivation significantly mediates the relationship between Learned Helplessness and Academic Procrastination. In addition, the total effect of Learned Helplessness on Academic Procrastination is direct and indirect, signifying its extensive influence.