[The Relationship between Personality Structure, Burnout and Procrastination in Psychology and Medical Students,...

Burnout and procrastination are widespread phenomena among students. The role of personality structure has been little researched so far.

The relationship between personality structure and study-related work disorders in psychology and medical students is examined, taking into account resources and demands.

As part of a cross-sectional study, data was collected online from 61 German colleges and universities. Personality structure variables (levels of personality functioning, OPD-SFK; attachment, ECR-RD 12; emotion regulation, ERQ), study-related work disorders (burnout, MBI-SS-d; procrastination; APSI-d) as well as resources (social support, F-SozU K-6; scope for decision-making in studies, self-developed scale) and demands (Corona pandemic, self-developed scale) were assessed. The research question was answered by means of a hierarchical regression analysis.

From February 2020 to December 2021, 775 students (49.2% psychology students, 50.8% medical students; age M=24.1 years, SD=5.1 years; 82.3% female, 17.4% male, 0.3% diverse) participated in the survey. In the overall model, 30.4% of the variance in burnout exhaustion, 16.2% of the variance in burnout cynicism, 20.9% of the variance in burnout inefficiency and 30.1% of the variance in procrastination was explained (p<0.001). Levels of personality functioning showed significant negative correlations with all burnout variables as well as with procrastination (p<0.001). The emotion regulation strategy reappraisal was associated with lower burnout inefficiency and procrastination (p<0.001), and the emotion suppression strategy with lower burnout cynicism (p≤0.01). Scope for decision-making in studies was negatively associated with all burnout variables and procrastination (p<0.001), and social support was negatively associated with burnout inefficiency (p≤0.01). The general stress level during the Corona pandemic showed a positive association with burnout exhaustion (p≤0.001).

Personality structure (levels of personality functioning, emotion regulation) is significantly related to study-related burnout and procrastination. Training opportunities to promote emotion regulation skills could be very helpful for vulnerable student groups in dealing with burnout and procrastination.