Comparison of Online Group Therapy Interventions for Procrastination

NCT05829174 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: NenckiInstitute
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 222
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy of two cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) protocols for procrastination with an active control protocol including cognitive-behavioral elements and with a wait-list control group. The interventions will be delivered online in group settings. All three protocols include identical psychoeducation and cognitive modules related to procrastination, but will differ in the behavioral modules. The behavioral module in one protocol is focused on starting on time and realistic planning. The second protocol implements working time restriction. The active comparator protocol implements the pomodoro time management technique. The wait-list control group will receive one of the CBT protocols after the period of waiting. It is assumed that all active conditions will be superior to the wait-list control, and that CBT protocols will be superior to the protocol including the time management technique. Primary (procrastination) and secondary (depression and anxiety) measures will be collected prior and after the interventions (or waiting period in wait-list group) and after 6-months in the three active condition groups.

Conditions

Procrastination

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Change in Polish version of the Pure Procrastination Scale (PPS)

  Assessment of procrastination level. The Polish version of PPS consists of 12 items that evaluate procrastination conceptualized as a dysfunctional delay (e.g. "I am continually saying I'll do it tomorrow"; "I delay making decisions until it's too late"). Participants respond on a 5-point scale (1 = "very seldom or not true of me"; 2 = "seldom true of me"; 3 = "sometimes true of me"; 4 = "often true of me"; 5 = "very often true of true of me")

  baseline assessment (week 0); mid-treatment assessment (week 3); post-treatment assessment (week 6); follow-up assessment (6 months after post-treatment assessment)

• Change in Polish version of the Aitken Procrastination Inventory (API)

  Assessment of academic procrastination level. The Polish version of API consists of 19 items that evaluate the tendency of students to procrastinate in their academic tasks (e.g. "If I had an important project to do, I'd get started on it as quickly as possible", "Getting down to work often takes me a long time."). Participants respond on a 5-point scale (1 = "false"; 2 = "mostly false"; 3 = " sometimes false/sometimes true"; 4 = "mostly true"; 5 = "true").

  baseline assessment (week 0); mid-treatment assessment (week 3); post-treatment assessment (week 6); follow-up assessment (6 months after post-treatment assessment)

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Change in Polish version of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)

  baseline assessment (week 0); mid-treatment assessment (week 3); post-treatment assessment (week 6); follow-up assessment (6 months after post-treatment assessment)

• Change in Polish version of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire-7 (GAD-7)

  baseline assessment (week 0); mid-treatment assessment (week 3); post-treatment assessment (week 6); follow-up assessment (6 months after post-treatment assessment)

• Degree of completion of a particular project that the participant decided to work on during the training (e.g. a thesis, an essay, a report).

  baseline assessment (week 0); mid-treatment assessment (week 3); post-treatment assessment (week 6)

Other Outcomes (15)

• Change in Polish version of the subscales Low work discipline and Fear of failure of the Study Problems Questionnaire (SPQ)

  baseline assessment (week 0) mid-treatment assessment (week 3);; post-treatment assessment (week 6); follow-up assessment (6 months after post-treatment assessment)

• Change in Polish version of the Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire - Short Form (SPSRQ-SF)

  baseline assessment (week 0); mid-treatment assessment (week 3); post-treatment assessment (week 6); follow-up assessment (6 months after post-treatment assessment)

• Change in Polish version of the Multidimensional-Multiattributional Causality Scale (MMCS)

  baseline assessment (week 0); mid-treatment assessment (week 3); post-treatment assessment (week 6); follow-up assessment (6 months after post-treatment assessment)

Study Arms (4)

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Techniques of Starting on Time and Planning Realistically

EXPERIMENTAL

5 session (one session a week) online group therapy including several psychoeducation and cognitive modules (what is procrastination, role of rewards, work environment, belief identification, cognitive restructuring, relapse prevention) and a behavioral module: realistic planning, timely beginning.

Behavioral: Psychoeducation and cognitive modules; Behavioral: Behavioral module: Starting on Time and Planning Realistically

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Technique of Working Time Restriction

EXPERIMENTAL

5 session (one session a week) online group therapy including several psychoeducation and cognitive modules (what is procrastination, role of rewards, work environment, belief identification, cognitive restructuring, relapse prevention) and a behavioral module: working time restriction.

Behavioral: Psychoeducation and cognitive modules; Behavioral: Behavioral module: Working Time Restriction

Cognitive Behavioral Intervention with Time Management Technique

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

5 session (one session a week) online group therapy including several psychoeducation and cognitive modules (what is procrastination, role of rewards, work environment, belief identification, cognitive restructuring, relapse prevention) and a behavioral module: pomodoro technique.

Behavioral: Psychoeducation and cognitive modules; Behavioral: Behavioral module: Pomodoro Time Management Technique

Wait-list control group

NO INTERVENTION

No intervention

Interventions

Psychoeducation and cognitive modules BEHAVIORAL

Psychoeducation and cognitive modules: what is procrastination, role of rewards, work environment, belief identification, cognitive restructuring, relapse prevention.

Cognitive Behavioral Intervention with Time Management Technique; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Technique of Working Time Restriction; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Techniques of Starting on Time and Planning Realistically

Behavioral module: Starting on Time and Planning Realistically BEHAVIORAL

Learning of realistic planning, and timely starting of work.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Techniques of Starting on Time and Planning Realistically

Behavioral module: Working Time Restriction BEHAVIORAL

Restriction of allowed time for work, and gradual increase of allowed time, if previous time windows where effectively used.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Technique of Working Time Restriction

Behavioral module: Pomodoro Time Management Technique BEHAVIORAL

Working in 25 minutes time intervals

Cognitive Behavioral Intervention with Time Management Technique

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 26 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Bachelor's and Master's university students
• Self-reported primary difficulties related to chronic and severe procrastination
• Serious procrastination problem lasting for at least one year as confirmed during clinical interview
• Having a postponed/procrastinated project to complete in the course of therapy
• Willing to participate in the study
• Fluent in Polish language
• Computer access and stable Internet connection

You may not qualify if:

• Current participation in other psychotherapy
• Change of psychiatric medication during last 12 weeks
• Severe anxiety or affective disorders and any other severe psychiatric disorders that require other type of specialized care and are primary to procrastination problem (e.g. major depressive episode, social phobia, PTSD, etc.)
• Active suicidality
• Psychosis, bipolar disorder
• Alcohol or substance dependence

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences: lead
• University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Warsaw: collaborator
• Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of Sciences: collaborator
• National Science Centre, Poland: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences

Warsaw, 02-093, Poland

Location

Study Officials

• Marek Wypych, PhD, DSc

  Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Jarosław Michałowski, Prof.

  SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Joachim Kowalski, PhD

  Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of Sciences

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER GOV
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 12, 2023
• First Posted: April 25, 2023
• Study Start: April 14, 2023
• Primary Completion: June 15, 2024
• Study Completion: June 15, 2024
• Last Updated: December 3, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-11

Locations

PL (1)