Cramming, Distraction, Time Management, and Procrastination among Medical Students: Impact on Final Exam Performance A Study on Study Habits and Academic Achievement
Main Article Content
Abstract
Objective: To investigate patterns of cramming, time management challenges, distractions, and procrastination among medical students using the Academic Procrastination Scale (APS) and their impact on academic scores. .
Methodology: This cross sectional study was conducted at Liaquat National Hospital and Medical college, Karachi from October 2021 to April 2022. Undergraduate medical students from the second to final year who had recently taken professional examinations were included in the study, while students in other programs were excluded. Data was collected using the Academic Procrastination Scale (APS), a demographic profile questionnaire, and students' recent professional examination scores. While a calculated sample size of 218 was determined, 400 questionnaires were distributed to compensate for a potentially low response rate.
Results: A total of 324 students (74.4% female, 25.6% male) were enrolled. Procrastination was reported by 121 students (37.3%). First-year students exhibited the highest tendency for cramming (25.9%), distraction (27.3%), and procrastination (27.3%), whereas final-year students showed the lowest tendency for these behaviors. There was no significant difference between GPA and procrastination, distraction, and challenges of time management, although GPA showed a negative correlation with these behaviors. A statistically significant association was found between academic scores and cramming (p = 0.016). The reliability statistics (Cronbach's Alpha) for the scales assessing cramming (0.727), distraction (0.801), and time management (0.741) indicated acceptable to good internal consistency.
Conclusion: First-year students encountered more challenges, including cramming, distraction, and procrastination, in comparison to students studying in the final year, negatively impacting their academic performance.
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