Modeling Students’ Academic Procrastination and Coping Strategies based on Data-Based Theory

Abstract
Studying academic procrastination among students can provide scientific support and necessary decision-making strategies for higher education institutions to promote students’ mental health. This study aimed to model academic procrastination among graduate students and identify strategies for dealing with it, through a qualitative approach and using data-based theory. A total of 15 faculty members participated in this study and were interviewed purposefully and based on the rule of theoretical saturation. Data analysis was conducted based on three stages of open, axial, and selective coding. Scientific and research incompetence, inefficiency of the university system (weak mechanisms of the student recruitment system, ineffective management and educational laws, weak effective communication between the university and industry and society, and lack of justification education), the labor market and job opportunities are among the causal conditions for the formation of procrastination. In contrast, students use passive or active strategies (adaptive strategy and illegitimate opportunity strategy) against procrastination. Social beliefs, the existence of shortcuts, family support, and academic alienation of professors as intervening conditions, and the nature of academic disciplines (in the humanities and basic sciences), lack of scientific and research equipment, multiple roles, and in-person or virtual education as background conditions affect strategies. The consequences of this behavior are the weakening of scientific credibility and professional ethics, and the weakening of the cultural capital of society. In general, continuous procrastination behavior can be a meaningful response to social, cultural, and organizational conditions. This behavior is not only a result of individual factors, but also a reaction to macrostructures and social expectations, which at the same time indicates individual agency in managing the situation. 
Keywords: Educational Policymaking, Academic Procrastination, Graduate Students, Data-Based Theory.
 
1. Introduction
Studying academic procrastination among students can provide scientific support and necessary decision-making strategies for higher education institutions to promote students’ mental health.
The recent occurrence of a public crisis, such as COVID-19, has had unprecedented impacts on all levels of education (Toquero, 2020), particularly affecting students’ psychological well-being and learning. The challenge of COVID-19 not only disrupts students’ academic and daily lives, but also exacerbates the problems of academic procrastination (Gamage et al., 2020; Tarkar, 2020). Since, in addition to the delay in graduation, students, even highly motivated individuals, may procrastinate on some tasks at some point in time, it is important to scientifically examine why and how this issue occurs. It also seems that personality and psychological factors explain only a part of student procrastination, and social, economic, cultural, environmental, and organizational conditions, in addition to individual factors, can greatly stimulate or mediate learner behavior (Steele and Klingsick, 2016), because learning and studying in higher education usually takes place in some kind of social system and is often organized in a system of social actions (Kappenburg and Klingsick, 2022). Therefore, examining organizational policies and culture, academic skills and abilities, social needs and expectations, and other environmental and cultural factors, along with personality variables, helps to provide a comprehensive analysis of student procrastination. Procrastination, or more precisely, academic procrastination, is not considered in this study as an individual characteristic variable or a generalized habit, but rather at the individual, academic, and societal levels. Instead of pointing the finger of blame at the individual for the phenomenon of academic procrastination, the aim of the present study is also to identify other variables that are beyond the individual’s control and cause procrastination. So far, no similar sociological study has been conducted in Iran that seeks to examine the concept of academic procrastination and discover the specific experiences of the professors’ group in relation to students. Therefore, the main aim of this study is to study academic procrastination with a sociological approach from the perspective of faculty members of Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz and to present a paradigmatic model based on the grounded theory method. 
 
2. Materials and Methods
This research was conducted using a qualitative grounded theory method. The study population was faculty members of Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, who were selected as participants due to their direct experience with students and awareness of their academic challenges. Sampling was purposive and continued until theoretical saturation was reached. Finally, 15 semi-structured interviews were conducted with faculty members. The data were analyzed in three stages: open, axial, and selective coding. In the open coding stage, raw data were transformed into primary concepts. In the axial coding stage, these concepts were organized around the main axes, and finally, in the selective coding stage, the core category was identified and expanded.

3. Data
The research findings showed that academic procrastination among graduate students as a purposeful action is rooted in structural and organizational causes. The paradigmatic model presented in this study includes causal conditions, contexts, intervening conditions, strategies, and consequences of procrastination.
Causal conditions: These conditions include knowledge disability (poverty of scientific knowledge), research disability, and inefficiency of the university system, labor market, and job opportunities. Knowledge disability refers to weakness in academic reading and lack of scientific inference and analysis. Research disability is also related to students’ lack of mastery of research methods and weakness in knowledge production. Inefficiency of the university system includes weakness of student recruitment mechanisms, ineffective management and educational laws, weak university-industry and community relations, and lack of justification training.
- Contexts: This section includes the nature of academic disciplines, multiple roles, in-person or virtual education, and lack of scientific and research equipment. The nature of academic disciplines, especially in the fields of basic sciences and humanities, can affect the level of procrastination. The multiplicity of roles of students (such as family or work responsibilities) can also lead to role conflict and increased procrastination.
- Intervening conditions: These conditions include family support, the presence of intergenerational patterns, social beliefs, and academic alienation of the professor. Family support can affect students’ motivation and behavior, while the presence of intergenerational patterns and social beliefs such as degree orientation can lead to a decrease in academic motivation. Academic alienation of the professor can also help to reinforce procrastination.
- Strategies: Students use two types of strategies when faced with procrastination: passive and active. Passive strategies include giving up and avoiding assignments, while active strategies include adaptive strategies (such as trying to catch up) and illicit opportunities (such as buying a thesis or copying). Consequences: Academic procrastination can lead to the weakening of academic credibility and professional ethics, the reduction of the cultural capital of society, and the reproduction of incompetent individuals. These consequences not only affect students’ academic performance, but also have negative effects on social and economic structures.
 
4. Discussion
His present study showed that academic procrastination is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that is rooted in the interaction of individual, structural, organizational, cultural, and social factors. This phenomenon not only affects students’ academic performance, but also has broad implications for society. To effectively deal with this phenomenon, a comprehensive and multidimensional approach is needed that, in addition to reforming educational structures, also pays attention to cultural and social changes. The findings of this study can be used as a basis for future research and educational policy-making at the macro level. It is suggested that reviewing educational practices, strengthening university relations with industry and society, and teaching research skills to students should be considered as effective strategies to reduce academic procrastination.
 
5. Conclusion
In general, persistent procrastination can be a meaningful response to social, cultural, and organizational conditions. This behavior is not only a result of individual factors, but also a reaction to macrostructures and social expectations, which at the same time indicates individual agency in managing the situation.
In general, the continuous performance of procrastination behavior can be a meaningful response to social, cultural, and organizational conditions. This behavior is not only a result of individual factors, but also a reaction to macrostructures and social expectations, which at the same time indicates individual agency in managing the conditions. Students’ behavior in the face of procrastination is a combination of structural and agency influences. Some students avoid completing tasks by adopting passive strategies, while others try to compensate for their shortcomings by using active or illegitimate strategies. These behaviors reflect the complex interaction between the inefficient structures of the educational system and the individual agency of students. To improve this situation, it is necessary to review student recruitment policies, define clear educational goals, strengthen interaction between professors and students, and promote a meritocratic culture. In conclusion, it can be said that academic procrastination is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that is rooted in the interaction of individual, structural, organizational, cultural, and social factors. This phenomenon not only affects students’ academic performance, but also has widespread consequences for society. To effectively deal with this phenomenon, a comprehensive and multidimensional approach is required that, in addition to reforming educational structures, also pays attention to cultural and social changes. The findings of this study can be used as a basis for future research and educational policymaking at the macro level.