Causes of Academic Procrastination Among High School Pupils with Learning Disabilities in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria

With time pressure and increased use of technology people nowadays tend to put off things or delay intended courses of action. The behaviour tendency to voluntarily postpone, delay or put off a task or decision is described as procrastination which has serious negative outcomes. The purpose of the study was to ascertain the causes of academic procrastination by pupils with learning disabilities in the secondary schools of Ilorin metropolis, Kwara State, Nigeria. Structured questionnaire consisting of statements about different factors responsible for procrastination was used to gather relevant information from respondents. Results of data analysis revealed that indecision, time management, lack of motivation, fear of failure, poor organizational skills, high stress, poor coping strategies and peer influence, in that descending order of importance or priority, were considered by participants as causes for their academic procrastination. Results also revealed gender differences in the causes of academic procrastination considered by the respondents. The results have implications for the creation of knowledge and awareness of factors responsible for academic procrastination among secondary school pupils in order to intervene in the negative consequences to the well-being of the pupils.