Exploring the Mediation Effect of Academic Self-Efficacy on Academic Procrastination, Performance, and Satisfaction [Letter]

Dear editor

We read with great interest the recently published article entitled “The Mediating Effects of Academic Self-Efficacy on Academic Procrastination, Performance, and Satisfaction of Chinese Local Universities of Technology Students”.¹ The findings of this study provide invaluable insights for policymakers, educators, and educational administrators on the importance of improving students’ self-efficacy to reduce procrastination and increase overall academic satisfaction. This study has several strengths: 1) Integration of new variables. This study was well able to link academic procrastination, self-efficacy, performance, and satisfaction into a coherent framework. 2) Robust methodology. The use of structural equation modelling (SEM) and Bootstrap testing demonstrated the reliability and validity of the findings. 3) Integrates a Social Cognitive Theory perspective. This article adapts Bandura’s triarchical causality model to explore the reciprocal relationships between procrastination, performance, self-efficacy, and satisfaction.² This provides a strong theoretical basis to validate the research results.

Although this study makes a valuable contribution, some aspects need further consideration by the authors: 1) Not addressing the role of technology. Given the context of this study being conducted at the University of Technology, the authors did not consider how the use of technology or other digital platforms might affect self-efficacy, procrastination, or academic satisfaction. 2) Use of GPA as the sole indicator of academic performance. The authors only use GPA to measure academic performance, which tends to ignore other dimensions such as practical skills, class participation, or collaborative projects, which are other important indicators to assess academic achievement. Therefore, to gain an in-depth and comprehensive understanding, here are some recommendation notes for future research: 1) Research can explore how technology, including the use of digital learning platforms and technology-based time management tools, can affect self-efficacy, procrastination, and academic satisfaction. 2) Future research could use a multidimensional approach to measure other academic performance. This approach may provide a more holistic picture of student achievement and strengthen the relationship between academic outcomes and learning satisfaction. 3) The authors may consider a longitudinal research design in the future to provide a more in-depth causal understanding. This research design allows researchers to see how changes in one variable affect another variable over time. 4) Future research could consider interviews or direct observation to get more in-depth results. These methods can delve deeper into the emotional and social factors that influence self-efficacy and academic satisfaction.