Academic procrastination and test anxiety as predictors of perceived academic performance in Peruvian university students

Oblitas T.F.; Cunza-Aranzábal D.F.; Abanto-Ramírez C.D. · Acta Psychologica (2026) · DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.107912

Resumen

Academic procrastination and test anxiety are common phenomena in university life, capable of affecting students' perceptions of their own academic performance. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 323 Peruvian university students from various majors, selected by convenience sampling. Validated questionnaires were used to measure academic procrastination, test anxiety, and perceived academic performance. The results indicate that higher levels of test anxiety (β = −0.262) and academic procrastination (β = −0.600) reduce students' self-perception of their academic performance, together explaining 47.9% of the variance (adjusted R2 = 0.479). Gender differences were also identified: women reported significantly higher levels of test anxiety, while men showed higher levels of academic procrastination. These findings reveal gender-based patterns and confirm that both anxiety and procrastination have a negative impact on self-perception of academic performance, highlighting the need for intervention strategies focused on emotional management and the strengthening of study habits.

Instituciones: Universidad Peruana Unión