AN ANALYSIS OF ACADEMIC PROCRASTINATION AMONG JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE DIGITAL AGE AND THE ROLE OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING SERVICES IN ADDRESSING IT

Abstract

Academic procrastination is a common problem among students in the digital age. Easy access to social media, online games, and various other digital platforms has the potential to increase students’ tendency to delay completing academic assignments. This study aims to analyze the forms and contributing factors of academic procrastination among junior high school students in the digital age and to examine the role of Guidance and Counseling (BK) services in addressing it. The study employs a qualitative research design with a descriptive approach. The research was conducted at SMPN 48 Surabaya. The research subjects consisted of two Guidance and Counseling (BK) teachers, five students identified as having a tendency toward academic procrastination, three homeroom teachers, and three parents selected using purposive sampling. Data collection was conducted through in-depth interviews, non-participant observation, and document analysis. Data analysis utilized the interactive model by Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña, which includes data collection, data condensation, data presentation, and drawing conclusions. Data validity was ensured through source triangulation, methodological triangulation, and member checking. The results of the study indicate that students’ academic procrastination in the digital age manifests in three main forms: social media displacement, online gaming addiction, and the “later syndrome.” The factors contributing to procrastination include internal factors such as low self-regulation, low motivation to learn, and boredom with learning, as well as external factors such as easy access to the internet, a lack of parental supervision, and the absence of a structured study routine. The resulting impacts include a decline in academic performance, late submission of assignments, anxiety, academic stress, sleep disturbances, and a decrease in students’ self-confidence. This study also found that guidance and counseling services play a crucial role in addressing academic procrastination through digital literacy-based group guidance, individual counseling using self-management techniques, and group counseling.