Group Versus Internet-based Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Procrastination

NCT ID: NCT02112383

Last Updated: 2018-03-13

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 90 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2014-09-30
• Study Completion Date: 2016-10-31

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

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Internet-based cognitive behavior therapy

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Internet-based cognitive behavior therapy

Intervention Type: 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.

Cognitive behavior group therapy

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Cognitive behavior group therapy

Intervention Type: 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.

Interventions

Cognitive behavior group therapy

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.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Internet-based cognitive behavior therapy

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.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• 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

Exclusion Criteria

• 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)

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Karolinska Institutet

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Stockholm University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Per Carlbring

Professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Per Carlbring, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Stockholm University

David Forsström, MSc

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Stockholm University

Alexander Rozental, MSc

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Stockholm University

Locations

The Student Health Centre at Karolinska Institutet.

Huddinge, , Sweden

Countries

Sweden

References

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

Reference Type: 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.

Reference Type: RESULT

PMID: 29530258 (View on PubMed)

Related Links

http://www.prokrastinera.se

Official recruitment website

Other Identifiers

SU-KI-STUDENT

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id