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Procrastination on academic tasks is a common problem affecting learning and achievement of university students globally. In Western and developed countries, personality types have been implicated in academic procrastination, but such evidence has not been adduced within the Ghanaian context. This study was therefore conducted to explore the possible role of personality types on academic procrastination among undergraduate students. Two hundred (200) students (Mean age = 20.78 years; SD = 2.27) conveniently sampled completed the Academic Procrastination Scale and the Big Five Personality Inventory. Correlational analysis showed that academic procrastination was negatively associated with openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, and agreeableness but positively related to neuroticism. Further standard multiple regression analysis showed only two dimensions of the personality traits: Neuroticism and openness made significant prediction of academic procrastination. Neuroticism made the strongest unique predictor of academic procrastination ([beta] = 0.23; t = 2.74; p < 0.01) followed by openness ([beta] = -- 0.20; t = -2.18; p < 0.05). The current study provides important information needed for the development of intervention programs that will help reduce academic procrastination among students, with specific emphasis on implicated personality traits.

AbstractPatients with schizophrenia have higher odds of premature mortality than people in the general population. Adherence to antipsychotic medication can prevent relapse and rehospitalisations and is considered a critical component of schizophrenia treatment. Yet, studies examining the factors associated with medication adherence in this patient population in Ghana are limited. This study examined the association between medication beliefs and adherence, and whether the effect of medication beliefs on adherence is contingent on doctor–patient communication. Patients with schizophrenia (N = 117) provided the data for the current analysis. Data were analyzed using hierarchical linear regression. Results showed a significant positive association between medication beliefs (i.e., necessity beliefs) and adherence. Doctor-patient communication was positively associated with adherence. Further, the association between necessity beliefs and medication adherence was found to be contingent on doctor-patient communication. Specifically, the effect of necessity beliefs on medication adherence weakened at high levels of doctor-patient communication. Other results showed that the mean antipsychotic medication adherence score was 16.70 ± 6.51. Moreover, about 89.3% of the patients were accepting their antipsychotic medication (i.e., having low concerns but high necessity beliefs). Findings suggest that necessity beliefs and doctor-patient communication exert similar effects on medication adherence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]