Compulsive Internet Use and Academic Procrastination: Significant Comparative, Correlative and Predicting Indicators in a Romanian Student Sample

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate significant measures between indicators / factors associated to compulsive Internet use and academic procrastination behaviors, for a sample of students, from Romanian education institutions. Previous transcultural findings indicate that compulsive Internet use and procrastination behaviours, but in most cases investigated separately, can interfere, distract, delay and / or have a negative impact on academic work / achievement (completing reading assignments, homework, studying for exams / academic failure), task performance and quality of life (personal and social obligations). Romanian participants were asked on a voluntary basis and with informed consent to complete demographic data and questionnaires about internet use (the Romanian translated and adapted version of The Compulsive Internet Use Scale, CIUS, developed by Meerkerk, G.-J., Van Den Eijnden, R. J. J. M., Vermulst, A. A., & Garretsen, H. F. L., 2009 [4] [5]) and procrastination behaviors (the Romanian translated and adapted version of The Procrastination Assessment Scale - for Students, PASS, designed by Solomon and Rothblum, 1984 [8] [9]). They also were informed that their responses are confidential: 211 valid surveys from 111 college undergraduates and 100 high-school students were collected for analysis. Results identified significant comparative data and correlative indicators of compulsive Internet use in predicting specific procrastination behaviors, for the 211 participants. Implications and future methodological research and coping strategies of this topic were discussed.