Group Versus Internet-based Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Procrastination

NCT02112383 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: SU-KI-STUDENT
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 90
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Procrastination is defined as a voluntarily delay of an intended course of action despite expecting to be worse-off for the delay, and is considered a persistent behavior pattern that can result in major psychological suffering. About one-fifth of the adult population and half of the student population are presumed having substantial difficulties due to recurrent procrastination in their everyday life. However, chronic and severe procrastinators seldom receive adequate care due to preconceptions and the lack of understanding regarding procrastination and the treatment interventions that are assumed beneficial. Cognitive behavior therapy is often deemed treatment of choice, although the evidence supporting its use is scarce, and only one randomized controlled trial has been performed. The primary aim of the current study is therefore to test the efficacy of cognitive behavior therapy delivered as either a group intervention or via the Internet. Participants will consist of students recruited through the Student Health Centre at Karolinska Institutet. A randomized controlled trial with a sample size of 100 participants divided into two conditions will be employed; a ten week Internet-based cognitive behavior therapy intervention, and an eight week group intervention based on cognitive behavior therapy. The current study is believed to result in two important findings. First, different interventions inherent in cognitive behavior therapy are assumed to be helpful for people suffering from problems caused by procrastination. Second, both a group intervention and an Internet-based cognitive behavior therapy intervention are presumed suitable for administering treatment for procrastination, which is considered highly important as the availability of adequate care is limited, particularly among students. The current study will increase the knowledge regarding the efficacy of different treatments of procrastination, as well as enhance the overall comprehension of the difficulties related to dilatory behavior.

Conditions

Procrastination

Keywords

Procrastination; Cognitive behavior therapy; Internet interventions; Group intervention; Students; Randomized controlled trial

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Change from baseline on the Pure Procrastination Scale (PPS)

  The PPS features twelve items measuring the prevalence of procrastination.

  0 weeks and 8 or 10 weeks

• Change from baseline on the Pure Procrastination Scale (PPS)

  The PPS features twelve items measuring the prevalence of procrastination.

  0 weeks and 24 weeks

• Change from baseline on the Procrastination Assessment Scale for Students (PASS)

  The PASS features three items measuring difficulties of procrastination within six different domains of study related activities.

  0 weeks and 8 or 10 weeks

• Change from baseline on the Procrastination Assessment Scale for Students (PASS)

  The PASS features three items measuring difficulties of procrastination within six different domains of study related activities.

  0 weeks and 24 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (6)

• Change from baseline on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS-S)

  0 weeks and 8 or 10 weeks

• Change from baseline on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS-S)

  0 weeks and 24 weeks

• Change from baseline on the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Assessment (GAD-7)

  0 weeks and 8 or 10 weeks

• Change from baseline on the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Assessment (GAD-7)

  0 weeks and 24 weeks

• Change in baseline on the Symptoms Checklist 90 (SCL-90)

  0 weeks and 8 or 10 weeks

Other Outcomes (1)

• Open-ended questions concerning adverse events

  4/5 weeks, 8/10 weeks, six-month follow-up

Study Arms (2)

Internet-based cognitive behavior therapy

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: Internet-based cognitive behavior therapy

Cognitive behavior group therapy

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: Cognitive behavior group therapy

Interventions

Cognitive behavior group therapy BEHAVIORAL

For participants in the group intervention condition, the modules from a self-help treatment for procrastination will be delivered at four consecutive three-hour sessions at the Student Health Centre at Karolinska Institutet, with approximately two modules given at each session. The sessions will be spaced two weeks apart, during which participants are instructed to complete assignments related to the modules that were in focus of the previous session, e.g., goal-setting, time management, and behavioral experiments, which they are advised to present and discuss with the other participants.

Cognitive behavior group therapy

Internet-based cognitive behavior therapy BEHAVIORAL

For participants in the Internet-based condition, the modules from a self-help treatment for procrastination will be distributed weekly during the treatment period, with one module given each week, i.e., ten weeks. In comparison to the group condition, participants will not receive a therapist contact or attend any sessions. In addition, the participants are expected to complete both the reading material and the assignments that are included in each module.

Internet-based cognitive behavior therapy

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Fluent in Swedish
• Computer with Internet access and a working email
• Registered as students at one of the affiliated universities of the Student Health Centre at Karolinska Institutet
• Primary difficulties related to chronic and severe procrastination

You may not qualify if:

• Severe depression (30 points or more on MADRS-S)
• Acute conditions in need of treatment; suicidal ideation, neuropsychiatric conditions (ADHD, ADD), misuse of alcohol or drugs, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and psychosis
• Ongoing psychotherapy
• Ongoing psychotropic medication (unless dose is stable three months prior the entering treatment)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Stockholm University: lead
• Karolinska Institutet: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

The Student Health Centre at Karolinska Institutet.

Huddinge, 141 52, Sweden

Location

Related Publications (2)

• Rozental, A., Forsström, D., Nilsson, S., Rizzo, A., & Carlbring, P. (2014). Group versus Internet-based cognitive-behavioral therapy for procrastination: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Internet Interventions, 1(2), 84-89. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.invent.2014.05.005

  BACKGROUND

• Rozental A, Forsstrom D, Lindner P, Nilsson S, Martensson L, Rizzo A, Andersson G, Carlbring P. Treating Procrastination Using Cognitive Behavior Therapy: A Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Treatment Delivered via the Internet or in Groups. Behav Ther. 2018 Mar;49(2):180-197. doi: 10.1016/j.beth.2017.08.002. Epub 2017 Aug 5.

  PMID: 29530258 RESULT

Related Links

• Official recruitment website

Study Officials

• Per Carlbring, PhD

  Stockholm University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• David Forsström, MSc

  Stockholm University

  STUDY DIRECTOR

• Alexander Rozental, MSc

  Stockholm University

  STUDY DIRECTOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 6, 2014
• First Posted: April 11, 2014
• Study Start: September 1, 2014
• Primary Completion: October 1, 2016
• Study Completion: October 1, 2016
• Last Updated: March 13, 2018

Record last verified: 2018-03

Locations

SE (1)