AI Usage as a Mediator Between Study Habits, Academic Procrastination, and Academic Self-Esteem

The growing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in higher education is reshaping how students approach learning, manage time, and evaluate their abilities. Generative AI systems are increasingly embedded within everyday study practices, raising questions about how these technologies shape learning behaviour and academic outcomes. Rooted in cyberpsychology and educational behaviour research, the present study examines whether academic AI usage mediates the relationship between students’ study approaches, academic procrastination, and academic self-esteem. A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted with 402 Indian college students using standardised measures of study habits, academic AI usage, procrastination, and academic self-esteem. Results showed that students with surface study habits tended to procrastinate more and reported lower self-esteem, while those with deeper study approaches displayed greater confidence and academic consistency. AI usage partially mediated the relationship between surface study habits and procrastination, indicating that students adopting surface strategies were more likely to incorporate AI into last-minute academic work. AI usage also produced a small positive indirect effect on academic self-esteem, suggesting that AI may function as a temporary form of academic scaffolding that enhances perceived competence without necessarily strengthening deeper learning processes. These findings illustrate how AI-mediated learning practices interact with students’ study approaches, shaping patterns of delay, engagement, and academic self-perception. The study contributes to emerging research on generative AI in higher education by demonstrating that the educational impact of AI depends on how it becomes integrated into students’ learning behaviours. Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Study Habits, Academic Procrastination, Academic Self-Esteem, Higher Education, AI-Mediated Learning, Cyberpsychology