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What factors affect student procrastination on mathematics homework: Self-determination theory perspective
Bohao Gao1, Tommy Tanu Wijaya2, Yahan He1
1School of Mathematical Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China.
Acta Psychologica
|April 18, 2025
Summary
Student procrastination in math homework is significantly influenced by negative emotions like anxiety and boredom. Autonomy support, especially from parents and teachers, can paradoxically increase math homework procrastination.
Area of Science:
- Educational Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Mathematics homework is essential for academic success, yet procrastination hinders completion quality and achievement.
- Limited empirical research exists on the specific factors driving mathematics homework procrastination.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore factors associated with student procrastination in mathematics homework, guided by Self-Determination Theory.
- To investigate the influence of student competence, autonomy, relatedness, and homework emotions on math homework procrastination.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative research design involving 771 middle school students in Tianjin, China.
- Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze structural equations.
Main Results:
- Homework emotions, particularly anxiety and boredom, showed the strongest association with procrastination.
- Autonomy demonstrated a significant negative correlation with mathematics homework procrastination.
- Parental and teacher autonomy support, when directly applied to math homework, appeared to exacerbate procrastination.
Conclusions:
- Negative emotions and perceived lack of autonomy are key drivers of math homework procrastination.
- Autonomy support strategies require careful implementation to avoid unintended negative consequences.
- Findings offer practical guidance for students, parents, and educators to mitigate math homework procrastination.
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