Impact of AI Dependency on Students’ Academic Self-Efficacy, Academic Procrastination and Critical Thinking

Abstract

This study aims to explore the relationships between AI dependency, academic procrastination, critical thinking, and academic self-efficacy among university students. A sample of 226 university students participated in the study with data collected through self-reported questionnaires for measuring AI dependency, critical thinking, academic procrastination, and academic self-efficacy. Pearson correlation analysis was use to examine the relationship between these variables, while mediation analysis, utilizing the Process Macro for SPSS, was conducted to test the mediating role of procrastination and critical thinking. The results reveals that AI dependency is positively correlated with academic procrastination and negatively correlated with both critical thinking and academic self-efficacy. Additionally critical thinking is positively associated with academic self-efficacy and negatively associated with procrastination while procrastination was negatively correlated with academic self-efficacy. Mediation analysis showed that both procrastination and critical thinking mediated the relationship between AI dependency and academic self-efficacy, with AI dependency cause more procrastination and reduce critical thinking, which in turn lower self-efficacy. These results suggest that AI dependency has negatively impacts academic self-efficacy through it effects on procrastination and critical thinking. The findings highlight the importance of addressing procrastination and development critical thinking skills to alleviate the negative effects of AI dependency on students' academic outcomes.