Neural Changes Following Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Procrastination

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: Procrastination

• Registration Number: NCT06357364
• Lead Sponsor: Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences

Brief Summary

The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy of and the neural changes following two cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) protocols for procrastination with a wait-list control group. The interventions will be delivered online in group settings. Both protocols include identical psychoeducation and cognitive modules aiming at identification and modification of dysfunctional automatic thoughts related to procrastination but will differ in the behavioral modules. The behavioral module in the first protocol is focused on timely beginning and realistic planning. The second protocol implements working time restriction. The wait-list control group will receive one of the CBT protocols after a waiting period that will last as long as the CBT intervention and the assessments performed directly after treatment. It is assumed that the interventions will be superior to the wait-list control. Primary (procrastination) and secondary (depression and anxiety) measures will be collected prior to and after the interventions (or waiting period in the wait-list group) and after 6 months in the two active condition groups. Additionally, neuroimaging measurements will be conducted before and after the interventions (or waiting period in the wait-list group). Approximately half of the participants will undergo functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), and another half will undergo electroencephalography (EEG). Both methods are aimed at exploring neural correlates of the expected improvements in participants' self-regulation abilities.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2024-03-18
• Study Start: 2024-04-08
• Study First Submitted QC: 2024-04-09
• Study First Posted: 2024-04-10
• Status Verified: 2024-11
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-11-28
• Last Update Posted: 2024-12-03
• Primary Completion: 2026-01-15
• Study Completion: 2026-01-15

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 276

Inclusion Criteria

• 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

Exclusion Criteria

• Current participation in other psychotherapy
• Use of psychiatric medication during the last 12 weeks
• Severe anxiety or affective disorders or any other severe psychiatric disorders that require other types 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
• Severe personality disorders (with the exclusion of avoidant, dependent and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders)
• For Warsaw participants: contradictions for fMRI measurement (metal elements in the body, claustrophobia, neurological conditions, pregnancy etc), non right-handedness.
• For Poznań participants: neurological conditions (e.g. epilepsy)

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in Polish version of the Pure Procrastination Scale (PPS)	baseline assessment (week 0); mid-treatment assessment (week 3); post-treatment assessment (week 6); follow-up assessment (6 months after post-treatment assessment)	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")
Change in Polish version of the Aitken Procrastination Inventory (API)	baseline assessment (week 0); mid-treatment assessment (week 3); post-treatment assessment (week 6); follow-up assessment (6 months after post-treatment assessment)	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").

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
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)	Assessment of depressive symptoms. The Polish version of PHQ-9 consists of 9 items that evaluate the occurrence of depressive symptoms in the last 2 weeks (e.g. "Little interest or enjoyment of your activities"). Participants respond on a 4-point Likert scale (0 = "not at all"; 1 = "on a few days"; 2 = "on more than half of the days"; 3 = "nearly every day").
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)	Assessment of anxiety symptoms. The Polish version of GAD-7 consists of 7 items that evaluate the occurrence of anxiety and excessive worry symptoms in the last 2 weeks (e.g. "Feeling afraid as if something awful might happen"). Participants respond on a 4-point Likert scale (0 = "not at all"; 1 = "on a few days"; 2 = "on more than half of the days"; 3 = "nearly every day").
Percentage 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)	Before and after therapy they will be asked to assess the percentage of the project that has been completed. The higher the difference between the two assessments the better the outcome.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences; 🇵🇱 Warsaw, Poland