The Relationship between Personality Structure, Burnout and Procrastination in Psychology and Medical Students, Taking into Account Social Support and Scope for Decision-Making in Studies

Background Burnout and procrastination are widespread phenomena among students. The role of personality structure has been little researched so far. Objective of the study: The relationship between personality structure and study-related work disorders in psychology and medical students is examined, taking into account resources and demands.Methods As part of a cross-sectional study, data was collected online from 61 German colleges and universities. Personality structure variables (levels of personality functioning, OPD-SFK; attachment, ECR-RD 12; emotion regulation, ERQ), study-related work disorders (burnout, MBI-SS-d; procrastination; APSI-d) as well as resources (social support, F-SozU K-6; scope for decision-making in studies, self-developed scale) and demands (Corona pandemic, self-developed scale) were assessed. The research question was answered by means of a hierarchical regression analysis.Results From February 2020 to December 2021, 775 students (49.2% psychology students, 50.8% medical students; age M=24.1 years, SD=5.1 years; 82.3% female, 17.4% male, 0.3% diverse) participated in the survey. In the overall model, 30.4% of the variance in burnout exhaustion, 16.2% of the variance in burnout cynicism, 20.9% of the variance in burnout inefficiency and 30.1% of the variance in procrastination was explained (p<0.001). Levels of personality functioning showed significant negative correlations with all burnout variables as well as with procrastination (p<0.001). The emotion regulation strategy reappraisal was associated with lower burnout inefficiency and procrastination (p<0.001), and the emotion suppression strategy with lower burnout cynicism (p <= 0.01). Scope for decision-making in studies was negatively associated with all burnout variables and procrastination (p<0.001), and social support was negatively associated with burnout inefficiency (p <= 0.01). The general stress level during the Corona pandemic showed a positive association with burnout exhaustion (p <= 0.001).Conclusions Personality structure (levels of personality functioning, emotion regulation) is significantly related to study-related burnout and procrastination. Training opportunities to promote emotion regulation skills could be very helpful for vulnerable student groups in dealing with burnout and procrastination.