The mediating role of satisfying basic psychological needs and cyberspace addiction in the relationship between self-knowledge and procrastination in secondary school students

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between self-knowledge and academic procrastination by mediating role of satisfaction of basic psychological needs and cyberspace addiction in secondary school students. The method of this research was correlational of structural equations. The research population was all secondary students (N= 7450) in Malayer city. Sample group (n= 515) was selected based on Cochran formula and cluster random sampling. Each participant completed a questionnaire including Academic Procrastination Scale, Basic Psychological Needs Scale, Cyberspace Addiction scale, and Integrative Self-Knowledge Questionnaire. Data were analyzed by Pearson correlation and path analysis method using SPSS-26 and AMOS-24. The results showed that the direct effects of self-knowledge on basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) (β > 0.35) and cyberspace addiction (β = -0.50) were significant. Among the basic needs, the effect of the need for competence on procrastination was significant (β = 0.36), while the needs of relatedness and autonomy had no significant effects on procrastination. The effect of cyberspace addiction on procrastination was also significant (β = 0.46). The indirect effect of self-knowledge on academic procrastination through basic psychological needs and cyberspace addiction was also significant (β = -0.49). Research findings show that self-knowledge can be effective in reducing academic procrastination by satisfying basic psychological needs and reducing cyberspace addiction. Therefore, by providing an environment that supports basic needs in school and family, students' academic procrastination can be prevented.