The Effect of Internal Locus of Control on Academic Achievement among College Students: The Dual Mediating Effect of Self-Handicapping and Academic Procrastination

Abstract

Objectives This study attempted to verify whether self-handicapping and academic procrastination are sequen-tially double-mediated in the relationship between internal locus of control and academic achievement for college students. Methods To this end, an online survey consisting of internal locus of control, self-handicapping, academic pro-crastination, and academic achievement was conducted for university students enrolled in four years nationwide. A total of 320 people's data were collected and used for analysis, and SPSS 27.0, PROCESS Macro Model 4, and Model 6 were used for analysis. Results The results of the study analysis are as follows. First, it was found that self-handicapping plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between internal locus of control and academic achievement. Second, it was found that academic procrastination plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between internal locus of con-trol and academic achievement. Third, it was found that self-handicapping and academic procrastination play a multiple mediating role in the relationship between internal locus of control and academic achievement. In other words, the high internal locus of control material affects the academic procrastination by lowering the self-handicapping. As a result, it has a positive effect on academic achievement. Conclusions This means that in situations where many people have been confused about their studies due to fre-quent changes in teaching methods caused by COVID-19, internal locus of control, self-handicapping, and aca-demic procrastination should be paid attention to dealing with college students' academic achievement. In addi-tion, the implications and limitations of this study were discussed.