Group Versus Internet-based Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Procrastination

Procrastination Clinical Trial

Official title:

Group Versus Internet-based Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Procrastination

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT02112383
• Other study ID #: SU-KI-STUDENT
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• First received: April 6, 2014
• Last updated: March 11, 2018
• Start date: September 2014
• Est. completion date: October 2016

Study information

• Verified date: March 2018
• Source: Stockholm University
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial 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.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 90
• Est. completion date: October 2016
• Est. primary completion date: October 2016
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

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)

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Procrastination

Intervention

Behavioral:
• 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.
• 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.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Sweden	The Student Health Centre at Karolinska Institutet.	Huddinge

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Stockholm University	Karolinska Institutet

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Sweden, 

References & Publications (2)

Rozental, A., Forsström, D., Lindner, P., Nilsson, S., Mårtensson, L., Rizzo, A., Andersson, G., & Carlbring, P. (2018). Treating procrastination using cognitive behavior therapy: A pragmatic randomized controlled trial comparing treatment delivered via t

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

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Other	Open-ended questions concerning adverse events	The occurrence and characteristics of possible negative effects of treatment will be examined using open-ended questions, i.e., "did you experience any negative effects during treatment", including rating scales assessing the degree to which the adverse event has affected the participant.	4/5 weeks, 8/10 weeks, six-month follow-up
Primary	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
Primary	Change from baseline on the Pure Procrastination Scale (PPS)	The PPS features twelve items measuring the prevalence of procrastination.	0 weeks and 24 weeks
Primary	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
Primary	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	Change from baseline on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS-S)	The MADRS-S is a self-report version of MADRS and features nine items measuring changes in mood, anxiety, sleeping patterns, appetite, concentration, initiative, emotional engagement, pessimism and attitude towards life.	0 weeks and 8 or 10 weeks
Secondary	Change from baseline on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS-S)	The MADRS-S is a self-report version of MADRS and features nine items measuring changes in mood, anxiety, sleeping patterns, appetite, concentration, initiative, emotional engagement, pessimism and attitude towards life.	0 weeks and 24 weeks
Secondary	Change from baseline on the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Assessment (GAD-7)	The GAD-7 features seven items for assessing anxiety and screening for generalized anxiety disorder.	0 weeks and 8 or 10 weeks
Secondary	Change from baseline on the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Assessment (GAD-7)	The GAD-7 features seven items for assessing anxiety and screening for generalized anxiety disorder.	0 weeks and 24 weeks
Secondary	Change in baseline on the Symptoms Checklist 90 (SCL-90)	SCL-90 features 90 items evaluating the participant's physical health and mental well-being, and consists of three global domains as well as nine subdomains.	0 weeks and 8 or 10 weeks
Secondary	Change in baseline on the Symptoms Checklist 90 (SCL-90)	SCL-90 features 90 items evaluating the participant's physical health and mental well-being, and consists of three global domains as well as nine subdomains.	0 weeks and 24 weeks

External Links

•   Official recruitment website
•   Official website of the Student Health Centre at Karolinska Institutet