Programmes helped people put things off less than getting nothing did
HelpedThe short version
Across 12 trials, programmes helped people put things off less than no treatment or waiting did.
- 12
- studies pooled
- 646
- students and community members who put things off
- Self-rated
- people rated themselves
The review
Who took part
12 trials with 646 people from six countries. Ten trials used students, and two used people from the community.
What they did
Programmes mixed teaching, behaviour change and thought-challenging methods. Some were given in person and some online. The other group got no treatment or waited for the programme.
What happened
Compared with no treatment or waiting, people put things off much less, though results differed a lot between studies. Extra checks found no sign that missing studies changed the answer. Students and in-person programmes seemed to do better in exploratory checks.
What the review found
- Helped
Across 12 trials, programmes helped people put things off less than no treatment or waiting did.
Pooled analysis of 12 studies with 646 people · vs people who got no treatment or waited · they rated themselves · ⚠ results look too good to be true; the studies disagreed a lot; whole programmes were tested, so no single part can be credited
How solid is this?
- People rated themselves
- Results look too good to be true
- Whole programmes were tested, so no single part can be credited
Source
The Efficacy of Interventions Aimed at Reducing Procrastination: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials (2019)
DOI: 10.1002/jcad.12243 (opens in a new tab)
