Resilient coping, burnout, self-efficacy, and academic procrastination: an explanatory study in Peruvian and Colombian university students

Introduction The tendency to postpone academic responsibilities has become a critically observed phenomenon from personal, systemic, and social perspectives, as it transforms into a persistent habit that can impact various dimensions of university life. This behavior, known as academic procrastination, represents a challenge for higher education institutions in Latin America and around the world. In this context, the objective of this study was to evaluate whether resilient coping, burnout, and academic self-efficacy are associated with academic procrastination among Peruvian and Colombian university students. Method An explanatory study was conducted with the participation of 609 Peruvian and Colombian university students. Participation was equally distributed between women and men (49.8% and 50.2%), as well as between Peruvians and Colombians (50.2% and 49.8%). Their ages ranged from 18 to 43 years (M = 22.42; SD = 4.34). The data were analyzed using PLS-SEM, and the internal consistency coefficients showed adequate values, confirming the internal robustness of each construct. Results The hypotheses were supported, with the observation that academic burnout is positively associated and significant with academic procrastination, and in turn, is negatively associated with academic self-efficacy. On the other hand, resilient coping is significantly associated with academic procrastination and, in turn, significantly reduces academic burnout, albeit to a small extent. Furthermore, no empirical support was found to demonstrate a significant association of academic self-efficacy with academic procrastination, at least within the context and sample evaluated. Discussion This new model suggests a reevaluation of existing models on the topics analyzed, given that it involves a transnational design, offering comparative perspectives on the contexts of Latin American higher education and responding to the need for contextualized and globally relevant evidence. The validated findings of this research provide valuable information for the strategic management and effective leadership of higher education institutions seeking to achieve better indicators from within their classrooms. This model deserves special attention in future research, including the exploration of other potential factors and the application of these findings to diverse contexts and cultures.