Open research questions in Perfectionism, Procrastination, Anxiety Studies

What the literature leaves open

• Although IP has received increasing international attention, comparatively few studies have simultaneously examined its associations with maladaptive perfectionism, self-efficacy, belonging, and wellbeing within Middle Eastern university contexts.

  Impostor phenomenon among Saudi university students: associations with maladaptive perfectionism, self-efficacy, and psychological well-being · 2026 · DOI

• Future studies should examine whether present-hedonistic and present-fatalistic orientations show independent or interactive associations with training procrastination. Future research could examine the full 2 × 2 achievement goal framework to determine whether different goal orientations show distinct conditional associations with training procrastination. Future studies could examine sport-specific self-control, training planning ability, habit strength, and emotion regulation as additional psychological variables. Future research could examine whether training procrastination is associated with these outcomes and whether future time perspective, self-control, and achievement goal orientations show indirect or conditional associations with broader indicators of athlete health, welfare, and sustainable development. This should not be limited to abstract long- term goal setting.

  Future time perspective and training procrastination in Chinese collegiate athletes: self-control mediation and the roles of mastery-approach and performance-avoidance goals · 2026 · DOI

• Future research will explore the potential of the screening tool to contribute to broader student success initiatives. With appropriate ethical approval, further studies may examine how the instrument can support early identification of student challenges and how it can be integrated into institutional retention strategies. In addition, the adaptability of the instrument across different institutional contexts will be explored. Collaboration with other universities may provide opportunities to refine the tool and contribute to the growing body of international research on the First Year Experience.

  Risk factors and coping options in preventing university dropout · 2026 · DOI

• Future research should examine whether similar longitudinal patterns emerge in diverse regions and educational contexts. Several limitations of this study should be noted. Other potential mediating mech- anisms were beyond the scope of the present analyses and should be explored in future research. Therefore, caution is warranted when generalizing the findings to cohorts educated under fully nor- malized schooling conditions.

  The relationship between teacher-student relationships and academic burnout: the longitudinal mediating role of academic self-efficacy · 2026 · DOI

• Other variables, such as personal life stressors and external economic conditions, could also play significant roles but were not explored in depth. This design limits the ability to conclude causality or the long-term effects of academic fatigue because it does not account for changes over time. • Further research on the topic could delve deeper into the underlying causes of academic fatigue, particularly by focusing on the structural and administrative aspects identified in the study.

  Why Does Academic Fatigue Occur in Universities? Academic Fatigue Scale Development Study · 2026 · DOI

• Learning, 23(4), 147- 169. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v23i4. 6193 It was established that academic, supervision and administrative support are essential for enhancing and promoting students’ self-efficacy. Therefore, if lecturers provide consistent academic support by clearly explaining how to solve specific problems, demonstrating how to complete assignments, and helping students gain a clearer understanding of class materials, students’ confidence in their abilities and their academic performance would significantly. Likewise, when supervisors offer encouragement, recognise students’ potential, appreciate their efforts, and show respect and understanding toward their academic concerns, students develop stronger beliefs in their capacity to perform well. Still, if both lecturers and supervisors maintain open constructive feedback, and create an atmosphere of trust and recognition, students’ self-efficacy will be high, leading to greater motivation, persistence, and academic achievement. communication, provide improve University managers and the National Council for Higher Education should strengthen academic and supervision support systems that build students’ academic self-efficacy. They should design policies that promote effective mentoring and continuous academic guidance. On their part, lecturers should actively engage students by explaining offering individualised academic assistance, and providing timely that acknowledges effort and progress. In addition, lecturers should create a classroom atmosphere of trust, respect, and recognition, where students feel valued and encouraged to take initiative in their learning, thereby enhancing their self-efficacy. constructive concepts, feedback difficult and REFERENCES Aberra, T. G., & Davids, M. N. (2022). Open distance and e-learning: Ethiopian doctoral support students’ services.

  University Support Services and Academic Self-Efficacy of Students · 2026 · DOI

• functions, engagement that Student support services refer to the student services that must ensure the successful delivery of a learning experience. Student support including encompasses diagnosing students' difficulties to help them succeed (Enwereji & Van Rooyen, 2025). Student support provides multi-layered, student-centred co-curricular and professional services improve students' quality of life, holistic wellness, experience and success (Pitsoane, 2024). Student support services address students’ academic, emotional and social needs and are required for students’ individual well-being and academic success, they include academic support, which seek to fulfill social and emotional needs that are directly linked to students’ learning processes, such as the provision of academic information and counseling services, and non-academic support, which addresses students’ social and emotional needs that have an indirect impact on their academic performance and includes financial support and psychological counseling services (Chetty & Kepkey, 2023).

  University Support Services and Academic Self-Efficacy of Students · 2026 · DOI

• challenging change and to SocioEconomic Challenges Volume 10, Issue 1, 2026 ISSN: 2520-6214 https://armgpublishing.com/journals/sec/ environments often emerge indirectly, particularly when employees have limited opportunities to express discontent openly. This research gap calls for a cause-and-effect approach to better understand how human resource practices can enhance job well- being and satisfaction, thereby reducing workplace procrastination.

  Workplace Procrastination as a Form of Resistance to Socio-Economic Challenges: Evidence from SMEs’ Human Resource Management · 2026 · DOI

• The present study, of course, has limitations. For instance, we did not focus on a specific group for sample size, despite insuring residents from different states and territories in northern India obtained through convenience sampling method. The scale has been used in one country, and may not (unlikely, but possible) apply to western and non-western nations. We propose that future research use this new scale to explore the causes and consequences of financial procrastination across varied cultures, ascertaining a global perspective of delays in wealth management. This new self-report scale might be replicated with varied cultural groups and individuals, such as investors and household wealth management leaders. Financial procrastination also might relate to constructs such as financial self-efficacy, conscientious, well-being, prudence, etc. Individual differences in financial procrastination might impact one’s health, stress, or personality. Nevertheless, this new self-report scale seems to be a useful tool to assess financial procrastination tendencies. Author Note: We thank those persons who volunteered to complete the scale. Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Funding: This research received no specific funding.

  Financial Procrastination: Assessing Wealth Indecision and Avoidance with a Self-Report Scale · 2026 · DOI

• The following are the limitations of this study. From the beginning, due to its cross-sectional design, it has failed to determine the causal interaction between factors. Future research could adopt longitudinal or experimental designs, as well as multi-informant approaches, to more rigorously examine causal relationships and reduce potential biases. Another limitation is the reliance on self-reported data, which suggests the possibility of common method variance issues. To minimize common method bias and enhance measurement validity, future work should integrate multiple assessment methods, including behavioral tasks, experimental paradigms, and objective indicators. This study did not consider the impact of other possible influencing variables on the results. Factors such as the Dark Triad, academic stress, and familial circumstances may all have a negative impact on one’s emotions. Future research should include more control variables to analyze the robustness of the estimated interactions more effectively. The MCBS has been criticized for failing to assess the uniqueness of malevolent behavior, as only a few items directly address the novelty and originality of ideas [11,75]. Future research could explore the relationship between social exclusion and the various dimensions of malevolent creativity. In addition, developing task-based measures that better capture the originality aspect of malevolent creativity, or creating new self-report tools tailored to everyday contexts, would help improve its assessment [76]. While negative emotions and personality traits form the basis of the current framework, other psychological mechanisms may also play a role in malevolent creativity. Future work should therefore explore these additional pathways, such as cognitive flexibility, moral disengagement, and stress response styles, to construct a more comprehensive theoretical model. Future studies should broaden the sample size to include more diverse populations, such 10 Int J Ment Health Promot. 2026;28(4):14 as working adults, adolescents, clinical groups, individuals with personality disorders, and those involved with the criminal justice system, to determine whether the findings generalize across different contexts. Ultimately, the study was conducted in Guangxi, a region characterized by distinctive cultural traditions and a large ethnic minority population. However, our analyses did not explicitly consider cultural and regional factors. Future research should incorporate cross-regional or cross-cultural comparative designs to better understand how sociocultural contexts shape the relationship between social exclusion and malevolent creativity.

  The Link between Social Exclusion and Tendencies of Malevolent Creativity Behavior: The Chain Mediation Model of Ruminative Thinking and Depression · 2026 · DOI

• Several limitations should be acknowledged. First, the cross-sectional design precludes causal inference and does not es- tablish temporal ordering among dissonance, boredom, and emo- tion-regulation difficulties. Longitudinal designs are needed to test developmental sequencing and potential reciprocal effects. Second, reliance on self-report measures raises concerns about response bias and shared-method variance; future work would benefit from multi- method assessment (e.g., behavioral tasks indexing inhibitory con- trol, experience-sampling of boredom episodes, and observer-rated engagement). Third, the study did not conduct SEM/path analysis or formal mediation testing, so the findings should be interpreted with- in the limits of correlational and regression evidence. Future studies may apply bootstrapped indirect-effect models or longitudinal cross- lagged designs to examine whether boredom functions as a mediator or moderator. Finally, the sample was drawn from one institution, so replication across Kuwaiti universities—and comparative samples from other Gulf contexts—would strengthen generalizability.

  From cognitive conflict to emotional dysregulation: Academic boredom and dissonance among Kuwaiti University students · 2026 · DOI

• Based on the findings and conclusions of the study, the researchers would like to recommend the following: 1. Students continue developing good time management habits in their daily academic activities. Creating study schedules, prioritizing important tasks, and managing deadlines properly may help them become more organized and responsible in completing their schoolwork. 2. Teachers are encouraged to continue reminding and guiding students about the importance of balancing their academic responsibilities and personal activities through proper time management. 3. School Administrators may also provide seminars, programs, or activities that can help students improve their study habits and strengthen their time management skills. 4. Parents are encouraged to support and encourage their children in managing their time wisely, especially in maintaining good study habits and completing academic tasks at home. 5. Future Researchers may conduct similar studies with a larger group of respondents or include students from different courses and year levels to gain a wider understanding of how time management affects academic performance. ACKNOWLEDGMENT The researchers would like to extend their deepest appreciation to their research adviser for the patience, guidance, and encouragement given throughout the completion of this study entitled “The Impact of Time Management on Academic Performance among BSCS 1A Students.” The researchers also sincerely thank the College of Computer and Information Sciences of Surigao del Norte State University for providing support and assistance during the conduct of the study. Above all, the researchers are grateful to the forty-five (45) BSCS 1A students who willingly participated and shared their time and honest responses, making this research possible. REFERENCES 1. Husson University. (2024) How to Focus on Studying: Tips to Improve Focus and Concentration in College. 2. Capelle JD, Senker K, Fries S and Grund A (2023) Deadlines make you productive, but what do they do to your motivation? Trajectories in quantity and quality of motivation and study activities among university students as exams approach. Front. Psychol. 14:1224533. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1224533. 3. Xu, J., Ong, J., Trần, T., Kollar, Y., Wu, A., Vujičić, M., & Hsiao, H. (2021). The Impact of Study and Learning Strategies on PostSecondary Student Academic Achievement: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/7ng5y.

  A Quantitative Analysis on the Impact of Time Management to Academic Performance of Computer Science Students · 2026 · DOI

• Thus, future research is required to examine other salient individual boundary 1 3Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal conditions that may help explain when direct supervisors are more likely to morally disen- gage in the face of direct manager phubbing and when they are likely to demonstrate deviant work behaviours.

  Tell Me Without Telling Me: The Effect of Direct Manager Phubbing on Employee Task Withdrawal and Procrastination · 2026 · DOI

• While, to the authors knowledge, the current study is the first to examine how perfectionism associates with psychological stressors among junior national team athletes in the Scandinavian sporting context, the study has potential methodological limitations that are important to consider, such as cross-sectional design, sample charac- teristics, measurement limitations, and generalizability of the results. Due to the cross-sectional design, it is not possible to establish causal relationships between the variables. While including all players selected to the age-specific national teams in all three sports is consid- ered a strength, investigating age-specific female national team players may elicit small sample sizes because of the number of players selected to national team camps. The measurements used in the present study have not been psychometrically validated, even though the PPS scale in the current study has been used in similar contexts (Sæther and Aspvik, 2016; Sæther, 2018). The FMPS–brief scale has not been used in the sport context, while the Self-reported playing time, and OI mea- surements consists of a limited number of items, even though they have been used in an earlier study (Sæther and Aspvik, 2016). We recognize using single-item measurements and reducing ordinal responses to binary variables before analysis may involve loss of infor- mation and could affect the results (Allen et al., 2022). We would therefore recommend future studies to include a more nuanced self- reported measure of playing time (i.e., Giske et al., 2021) or an objec- tive assessment of both OI and playing time. Finally, the generalizability of the results is limited to the Norwegian context, even though there are potential similarities between age-specific national team players in the three included sports.

  Perceived psychological stressors in female age-specific national team players · 2026 · DOI

• suggest further remain relatively existing measures Accurate assessment of academic procrastination is therefore important for identifying self-regulatory difficulties and examining how they relate to students’ learning, motivation, and adjustment. However, many long (Stanton et al., 2002; Ziegler et al., 2014). This is not only a practical issue of survey length, but also a methodological concern in multi-construct research, where excessive item burden may increase fatigue, careless responding, and missing data, and may limit the inclusion of other theoretically important constructs (Tindle et al., 2022; Meade and Craig, 2012). Brief measures can help address these challenges, but brevity alone is not sufficient. A short form must retain the conceptual coverage of the original construct and provide clear evidence for reliability, validity, and interpretability (Ziegler et al., 2014; Rust and Golombok, 2014). The Aitken procrastination inventory (API) is an established measure of academic procrastination (Aitken, 1982), but the original 19-item form may still be burdensome in multi-construct educational studies. Moreover, a brief Chinese version suitable for university students remains unavailable. This gap is important because procrastination may be shaped by context-specific academic demands. In Chinese higher education, students often navigate strong performance expectations, social comparison, and evaluative pressure (Lan et al., 2025; Chen et al., 2025). At the same time, the transition from highly structured secondary schooling to more autonomous university learning requires students to manage academic tasks with greater independence (Chen et al., 2025; Wan et al., 2023). These conditions may make procrastination especially relevant as an indicator of self-regulatory difficulty in university learning. Therefore, an efficient Chinese measure is needed for research examining how procrastination relates to self-regulated learning, fear of failure, academic adjustment, and motivational processes in higher education (Li et al., 2023; Gao et al., 2025). To address this gap, the present study developed and validated the Chinese Aitken Procrastination Inventory–Short Form (C- API-SF) among university students in Mainland China. Guided by Messick’s (1984) unified validity framework, which views validity as an integrated judgment based on multiple sources of evidence, we examined internal structure, reliability, and relations with theoretically relevant variables. Candidate short forms were identified using Ant Colony Optimization and cross-validated using a split-sample design. The study aimed to provide a brief and psychometrically sound measure of academic procrastination for research on self-regulated learning, motivation, and student adjustment in university contexts. 1.1 Research questions The present study addressed four research questions: the C-API-SF 1. RQ1. Which subset of items from the original API yields the most psychometrically adequate short form for Chinese university students? 2. RQ2. Does internal structure? 3. RQ3. Does the C-API-SF demonstrate adequate reliability with the original long version API? 4. RQ4. Does the C-API-SF show the expected positive of associations with emotional distress?

  A brief measure of academic procrastination in university students: development and validation of the Aitken Procrastination Inventory—Short Form · 2026 · DOI

• First, this study focused on vocational undergraduate students in Shandong Province, which may have resulted in regional and cultural contextual limitations. Given that Shandong is a region with unique educational traditions and distinct cultural features, the generalizability of the current findings to other regions, cultural contexts, or other types of higher education institutions requires further empirical validation. In addition, this study was based on parental social support and did not distinguish between paternal and maternal support or account for the absence of either source of support due to factors such as parental divorce or bereavement. As such, this study has inherent limitations in capturing the complexity of family structures, and was unable to fully delineate the differential impacts of parental social support on academic burnout across varied family contexts. Therefore, future research should be expanded to other regions and types of universities to assess the generalizability of the model. Meanwhile, subsequent research may further disentangle the specific roles of paternal and maternal support, and in combination with diverse family structures such as single-parent families, reconstituted families, and grandparent-led caregiving arrangements, conduct an in-depth examination of the mechanism whereby parental social support shapes academic burnout. The findings should be interpreted with caution because this study relied on a cross-sectional design and exclusively self-reported measures. Although Harman’s single-factor test suggested that common method bias was not a serious concern, the use of single-source selfreport data may still introduce shared method variance.

  The influence of parental social support on academic burnout among vocational undergraduate students in Shandong Province, China · 2026 · DOI

• The study is subject to certain limitations that should be taken into consideration while interpreting the findings. The sample size was limited to 100 participants which may restrict the broader applicability of results. In addition, the study focus exclusively on young female students thereby limiting the scope for gender based comparison. The age range of participants was 18 to 25 years and individuals from other academic stages such as research Scholars were not included. Representation of cross different academic disciplines was not specifically examined which may influence the variability of responses. Further, the data work collected from a related is specific geographical context which may affect the generalizability of the findings to other populations. The study also considered only two primary variables while other relevant factors such as stress motivation and self regulation did not explode. Lastly, the Reliance on self report measure introduces the possibility of responses by yes, as participants’ answer me have been influenced by personal perception or social desirability.

  Correlation between the Subscales of Academic Self-Concept and the Academic Procrastination Among Young Females · 2026 · DOI

• As previous studies on academic burnout among college students analyze the impact of a single factor on academic burnout, which is limited by the combined effect of multiple factors, this article uses FSQCA method to empirically explore how five antecedent conditions (academic stress, academic anxiety, lack of academic self-efficacy, Internet addiction, and loneliness) lead to this phenomenon from configuration perspective.

  Academic burnout among Chinese college students: A study based on FSQCA method · 2025 · DOI

• Although study burnout has been shown to have detrimental impacts on students’ well-being and studying, not much is known about the person-oriented features of burnout risk in relation to ACT-based intervention outcomes.

  Effects of Study-Integrated Well-Being Course Intervention for Different Burnout and Engagement Profiles of University Students · 2024 · DOI

• Abstract Introduction Although a few research have tried to explore the relationship between problematic smartphone use (PSU) and school engagement, most of them are limited to relatively simple correlation, and the mechanism needs to be further explored.

  The effect of problematic smartphone use on school engagement and disengagement among middle school students: The mediating role of academic procrastination and sleep quality · 2023 · DOI

• The results of empirical research can be used both to develop recommendations, developmental and educational activities aimed at preventing the decline in productivity and efficiency, and to highlight the understudied topic of the links between coping strategies and the phenomenon of procrastination.

  COPING STRATEGIES AND MAINTAINING PRODUCTIVITY IN STRESSFUL SITUATIONS · 2022 · DOI

• In this COVID-19 pandemic era, the psychological aspect takes an important role in achieving optimal academic results among students, but the factors that correlate with academic achievement are not yet known accurately.

  Confidence, Academic Stress, Coping Strategies as Predictors of Student Academic Achievement in Physical Education Classes During Covid-19 · 2022 · DOI

• Individual differences in ‘adaptability’ – cognitive, behavioural, and emotional adjustment in the face of change, novelty, and uncertainty – are theorised to influence students’ academic achievement and course satisfaction; although the literature examining these relations in tertiary education is sparse.

  Adaptability: does students’ adjustment to university predict their mid-course academic achievement and satisfaction? · 2018 · DOI

• Entering college with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology has been linked to poor academic performance and increased risk for dropping out of college; however, little is known regarding the mechanisms by which PTSD symptoms have deleterious effects on college outcomes.

  Posttraumatic stress, effort regulation, and academic outcomes among college students: A longitudinal study. · 2015 · DOI

• Only a few studies have examined the LASSI--2nd Edition (Prevatt, Petscher, Proctor, Hurst, & Adams, 2006; Proctor, Prevatt, Adams, Hurst, & Petscher, 2006), and Cano (2006) notes that studies examining the relationships between the LASSI and academic performance are especially needed.

  Study Strategy Predictors of Performance in Introductory Psychology · 2009

Most-cited papers in Perfectionism, Procrastination, Anxiety Studies

• Perfectionism, the impostor phenomenon and psychological adjustment in medical, dental, nursing and pharmacy students · Medical Education · 1998 · 416 citations
• Goal commitment and the goal-setting process: Problems, prospects, and proposals for future research. · Journal of Applied Psychology · 1987 · 394 citations
• Activity Achievement Emotions and Academic Performance: A Meta-analysis · Educational Psychology Review · 2021 · 360 citations
• Understanding procrastination from a self-regulated learning perspective. · Journal of Educational Psychology · 2003 · 357 citations
• Procrastination predicts online self-regulated learning and online learning ineffectiveness during the coronavirus lockdown · Personality and Individual Differences · 2021 · 179 citations
• The relationship between financial strain, perceived stress, psychological symptoms, and academic and social integration in undergraduate students · Journal of American College Health · 2016 · 153 citations
• Psychological parameters of students' social and work avoidance goals: A qualitative investigation. · Journal of Educational Psychology · 2001 · 144 citations
• Fired up with passion: Investigating how job autonomy and passion predict burnout at career start in teachers · Work & Stress · 2014 · 142 citations
• Passion and motivation for studying: predicting academic engagement and burnout in university students · Educational Psychology · 2011 · 133 citations
• Stress and Academic Performance in Dental Students: The Role of Coping Strategies and Examination‐Related Self‐Efficacy · Journal of Dental Education · 2016 · 129 citations

Most recent work

• Bridging the gap between intention and action: how procrastination alters entrepreneurial intention among university students? · Qualitative Research Journal · 2026
• The Mediating Role of Emotional and Psychological Well-Being in the Relationship Between Digital Addiction and Academic Procrastination among Secondary School Students · Revista Educación · 2026
• Academic Procrastination as a Mediator Between Competitiveness and Self-Efficacy Among University Students · International Journal of Educational Reform · 2026
• The relationship between teacher-student relationships and academic burnout: the longitudinal mediating role of academic self-efficacy · Learning Environments Research · 2026
• Predictors of Psychology Student GenAI Use and Grades on GenAI Secure Versus Unsecure Assessments · Psychology Learning & Teaching · 2026
• Procrastination Trap: the Hidden Link between Stress, Anxiety, Amotivation and Academic Dishonesty · Journal of Academic Ethics · 2026
• Shifting self-belief and academic behavior during the learning transition · Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education · 2026
• Perfectionism, Perceived Social Isolation, and the Adverse Impact on Mental Health in Today's Highly Competitive Generation · International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) · 2026
• Systematic review and meta-analysis of the impact of time management on college students’ learning outcomes · Frontiers in Psychology · 2026
• Balancing multiple demands: A comparative analysis of students’ multitasking practices in academic contexts · International Journal of Education, Learning, and Pedagogical Sciences (INJELPS) · 2026

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