Abstract :
Academic procrastination is a common concern among university students and is associated with emotional difficulties and poorer psychological functioning. The present study examined the relationship between academic procrastination and psychological well-being among university students in Pakistan and tested whether self-compassion moderated this relationship. A quantitative, cross-sectional correlational design was employed with 200 undergraduate students selected through purposive sampling. Participants completed the Pure Procrastination Scale, Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scale–Short Form, and the Self-Compassion Scale–Short Form. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, Pearson product-moment correlations, and moderation analysis using PROCESS. All measures demonstrated high internal consistency. Academic procrastination was strongly and negatively associated with psychological well-being, r(198) = ?.758, p < .001. Self-compassion was strongly and positively associated with psychological well-being, r = .886, p < .001, and negatively associated with academic procrastination, r = ?.802, p < .001. However, the interaction between academic procrastination and self-compassion was not statistically significant, ? = ?.0547, p = .444. Thus, self-compassion was strongly related to better psychological well-being but did not significantly change the relationship between procrastination and well-being. The findings suggest that universities should address procrastination as both an academic and psychological concern and incorporate self-regulation, emotional coping, and self-compassion into student support programs.