Medical education is widely recognised for its demanding nature, which often causes significant stress among students. This pressure stems from multiple aspects of the learning process, including the need to assimilate extensive and complex medical knowledge and meet rigorous academic expectations. Without adequate coping mechanisms, these stressors can trigger academic procrastination among medical students. This study investigated the relationship between coping strategies and academic procrastination in preclinical medical students. Conducted in April 2023 at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Mataram, this cross-sectional study involved 202 students in grades 2, 4, and 6. Data were collected using stratified random sampling, the Brief COPE instrument, and an Academic Procrastination Questionnaire, all of which were validated for reliability. Statistical analysis using SPSS version 21 included chi-square tests to explore the relationship between coping strategies and procrastination levels. The findings revealed a significant relationship (p = 0.019) between coping strategies and academic procrastination. Problem-focused coping, particularly planning and active coping, received the highest scores, reflecting a constructive approach to addressing educational challenges. The most common procrastination behaviours were delaying the start of a task and difficulty in managing time, which were likely influenced by the complexity of the task and the student’s disinterest. Effective coping strategies have been found to increase motivation, improve time utilisation, and enhance task focus, reducing the likelihood of academic procrastination. These insights highlight the importance of developing adaptive coping mechanisms among medical students to mitigate stress and optimise academic performance during their formative years of education.
Arigi et al. (Tue,) studied this question.