## Comparing cognitive-behavioral therapy protocols for procrastination ### Authors - [[Weronika Maria Browarczyk]] - [[Joachim Kowalski]] - [[Magdalena Pietruch]] - [[Jarosław M. Michałowski]] - [[Marek Wypych]] #presentation [[Cognitive-behavioral therapy]] (CBT) is a widely recognized intervention for reducing procrastination and associated mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety. Recent research has focused on short-term, low-cost CBT interventions, particularly in student populations where procrastination is most prevalent. While CBT-based interventions for procrastination show promise, it remains unclear whether different protocols are equally effective or if certain approaches yield superior outcomes. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of two CBT protocols for procrastination against active and waitlist control groups. The 5-week programs were delivered online in a group setting by pairs of trained therapists. All three active protocols shared the same psychoeducation and cognitive components but differed in the behavioral techniques applied. The RPT protocol focused on realistic planning and timely beginning, while WTR emphasized working time restriction. The active control condition utilized the Pomodoro Technique (PT). It was hypothesized that RPT and WTR protocols would lead to greater reductions in procrastination than the control conditions (PT, waitlist), and that RPT and WTR would also be more effective in reducing depression and anxiety. The study included 222 high-procrastinating students (nRPT = 50, nWTR = 58, nPT = 56, nwaitlist = 58), who were assessed before, during, immediately after, and six months post-intervention. Intention-to-treat analysis using linear mixed models showed significant procrastination reductions from baseline to post-treatment, with large effect sizes for the RPT, WTR, and PT protocols compared to the waitlist. At the same time, however, a substantial number of non-responders were identified. Secondary outcome analyses revealed that the active protocols were more effective than the waitlist in reducing depression. WTR and PT, but not RPT, also significantly reduced anxiety compared to the waitlist. Importantly, the six-month follow-up demonstrated the stability of effects on procrastination, indicating long-term benefits. This study is the first to directly compare CBT protocols with distinct behavioral components for procrastination. Unexpectedly, all three active conditions showed comparable efficacy in reducing procrastination, suggesting that different behavioral modules, when combined with psychoeducation and cognitive interventions, can be equally effective. ### Keywords: [[clinical interventions]], [[treatment]], [[cognitive-behavioral therapy]], [[randomized controlled trial]], [[academic procrastination]]