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RESEARCH PRODUCT

“Facebocrastination”? Predictors of using Facebook for procrastination and its effects on students’ well-being

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Procrastinating with popular online media such as Facebook has been suggested to impair users well-being, particularly among students. Building on recent procrastination, self-control, and communication literature, we conducted two studies (total N=699) that examined the predictors of procrastination with Facebook as well as its effects on students academic and overall well-being. Results from both studies consistently indicate that low trait self-control, habitual Facebook checking, and high enjoyment of Facebook use predict almost 40 percent of the variance of using Facebook for procrastination. Moreover, results from Study 2 underline that using Facebook for the irrational delay of important tasks increases students academic stress levels and contributes to the negative well-being effects of Facebook use beyond the academic domain. The implications of investigating procrastination as a specific pattern of uncontrolled and dysfunctional media use are discussed with regard to research on the uses and effects of ubiquitous online media. Using Facebook (FB) to procrastinate tasks is common among students.Trait self-control (TSC), FB habits, and FB enjoyment predicted procrastination.Procrastination with FB increased students academic stress and FB-induced strains.Procrastination mediated the effects of TSC, habits, and enjoyment on well-being.Conclusion: Procrastinating with FB can impair users well-being.