Fear of COVID-19 lead to procrastination among Turkish university students: The mediating role of intolerance of uncertainty

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 outbreak has not only increased mortality but has also negatively affected mental health among populations across the world. Furthermore, individuals are experiencing uncertainty about their current and future situation because of the pandemic. Therefore, the present study investigated the mediating role of intolerance of uncertainty in the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and procrastination among a sample of Turkish university students. Methods: Between October and November 2020, 450 university students (291 females and 159 males aged 17 to 24 years) from three state universities in Turkey completed an online survey. Correlation analysis and structural equation modeling methods were employed to examine a model for understanding the general procrastination during COVID-19 pandemic. Results: The results of the correlation analysis indicated that the fear of COVID-19 was positively correlated with both intolerance of uncertainty (r =.26, p