Rule · with whom
With a coach or therapist
Guided by a coach, therapist or trained helper.
Studies (34)
Paper
All four people in coached exercise with weekly pledges came to every sessionUsedNo comparisonAll four people who had coached sessions, weekly pledges and a pin board came to all 24 sessions.
Very small randomised trial of 6 inactive adults with epilepsy in Iowa · no comparison group · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ groups weren't properly compared
Paper
Eight group therapy sessions helped anxious teens put off schoolwork lessUsedHelpedTeens who had eight group sessions on unhelpful thoughts, time and goals put off schoolwork less than the others.
Small randomised trial of 30 anxious teenagers in Iran · vs teens who got nothing · they rated themselves · ⚠ results look too good to be true
Paper
One session on a dreaded study task cut students' putting things offUsedHelpedOne coached session spent working on a dreaded study task cut putting things off more than waiting did.
Randomised trial of 425 university students in China with study anxiety · vs students still waiting for the session · they rated themselves
TestedHelpedFacing a dreaded task with a coach and a chatbot beat reading and practising alone, though by less.
Randomised trial of 425 university students in China with study anxiety · vs the same ideas read and practised alone · they rated themselves
Paper
Sleep therapy by video helped pregnant women put off going to bed lessUsedHelpedWeekly therapy on sleep times, winding down and bad thoughts about sleep cut putting off bed more than emailed tips.
Small randomised trial of 64 pregnant women with sleep problems · vs six weekly emails with general sleep tips · they rated themselves
UsedHelpedA mindful version of the same therapy beat the emailed tips by about as much.
Small randomised trial of 64 pregnant women with sleep problems · vs six weekly emails with general sleep tips · they rated themselves
Paper
One hour-long therapy session helped students put things off less two weeks laterUsedHelpedOne hour mapping what made them put things off and planning study times helped students put things off less.
Randomised trial of 151 university students in Germany who put things off · vs students who only filled in questionnaires · they rated themselves
UsedHelpedOne hour on goals, values, mindfulness and stepping back from unhelpful thoughts helped students put things off less.
Randomised trial of 151 university students in Germany who put things off · vs students who only filled in questionnaires · they rated themselves
Paper
Coaching on a steady sleep routine made teens' sleep times far more regularUsedHelpedTeens coached to wake at a fixed time, get morning light and cut evening screens got much steadier sleep times.
Small randomised trial of 57 anxious, depressed teenagers in Pakistan · vs weekly therapy on unhelpful thoughts, same length · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ only counted people who finished; results look too good to be true
Paper
Therapy on daily habits made days more steady, but only later onUsedMixedTwelve weekly sessions on steady days left days steadier than usual care at a later check, but not right after.
Small randomised trial of 63 adults with bipolar disorder in Egypt · vs usual care with medicine · they rated themselves · ⚠ summary claims more than the results show
Paper
Men who planned gym times and trained with coaches were more activeUsedHelpedMen who planned set exercise times, laid out gym clothes and trained with coaches moved more than men without it.
Trial, groups not picked at random of 139 inactive men at a Saudi university · vs men who got no programme · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ numbers unreliable
Paper
Swapping night screen time for something else did no better than a goalUsedNo differenceA plan for another activity instead of night phone use did no better than a goal to cut it.
Small randomised trial of 55 people in their first year of work · vs coaching to set goals for less evening device use · they rated themselves · ⚠ many people dropped out; summary claims more than the results show; numbers unreliable
Paper
One-to-one therapy at school helped struggling teenagers put things off lessUsedHelpedWeekly one-to-one talks on unhelpful thoughts, stress and solving problems helped teens put things off less than waiting.
Randomised trial of 129 struggling teenagers at school in Pakistan · vs teenagers who waited 8 weeks · they rated themselves · ⚠ many people dropped out; only counted people who finished; numbers unreliable; results look too good to be true
Paper
Twenty weekly therapy sessions helped students put off going to bed lessUsedHelpedAfter 20 weekly sessions on hard feelings and thoughts, students put off bedtime less than waiting students for three months.
Small randomised trial of 32 university students who put off bedtime · vs students still waiting for the therapy · they rated themselves
Paper
A coached online course helped students put things off a little lessUsedHelpedStudents who did a coached online course on unhelpful thoughts put things off a little less than the waiting group.
Randomised trial of 403 Dutch university students who put things off · vs students still waiting for the course · they rated themselves · ⚠ many people dropped out
Paper
After using a walking app with two coaching calls, brisk walking felt more automaticUsedNo comparisonAfter planning 10-minute brisk walks with an app and two coach calls, brisk walking felt more automatic. There was no other group to compare with.
Small study of one group of 44 inactive adults after cancer treatment · no comparison group · they rated themselves · ⚠ groups weren't properly compared; results not tested statistically
Paper
Online help for perfectionism cut putting things off no more than a feelings courseUsedNo differenceOnline help for perfectionism cut putting things off no more than an online course on dealing with feelings.
Randomised trial of 138 adults in Sweden with strong perfectionism · vs an online feelings course with the same therapist · they rated themselves
Paper
A mindfulness and thinking course helped students put off schoolwork lessUsedHelpedAfter a four-week course on mindfulness and unhelpful thoughts, students put off schoolwork less than the group that waited.
Small randomised trial of 43 Muslim university students in Indonesia · vs students still waiting for the course · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable; only counted people who finished
Paper
Talks about mixed feelings toward change helped students put off schoolwork lessUsedHelpedStudents who talked through mixed feelings about change and made a plan put off schoolwork less than the other group.
Small trial, groups not picked at random of 40 students at a university counselling centre in Iran · vs students who got no treatment · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable
Paper
Health-worker visits and daily texts didn't help teens take their medicine moreUsedNo differenceHealth-worker visits on goals and cues plus daily texts didn't help teens take their medicine more than usual care.
Small randomised trial of 50 teens with sickle cell disease and their parents · vs teens who got their usual care · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ only a short summary available
Paper
Three short planning talks made healthy eating feel more automatic for older peopleUsedHelpedPlanning one new eating habit at a time made healthy food feel more automatic than a leaflet did.
Small randomised trial of 54 older dental patients in Northern Ireland · vs people who only got a healthy-eating leaflet · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable; many people dropped out
Paper
After twelve sessions of happiness training, teens said they put off schoolwork lessUsedHelpedTeens who had twelve group sessions of happiness training said they put off schoolwork less than teens who got nothing.
Small randomised trial of 30 high-school students in Iran · vs students who got nothing · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable
Paper
Talking themselves through tasks eased ADHD signs in teen boysUsedHelpedBoys who learned to talk themselves through tasks had fewer attention problems, by teacher ratings, than boys who got nothing.
Small randomised trial of 30 teenage boys with ADHD in Iran · vs boys who got no training · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable; summary claims more than the results show
Paper
Group therapy on accepting feelings helped boys who fear tests put things off lessUsedHelpedAfter eight weekly group sessions on feelings and values, boys put off schoolwork less than boys who got nothing.
Small randomised trial of 30 Iranian seventh-grade boys with high test anxiety · vs boys who got nothing · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable; summary claims more than the results show
Paper
School group sessions helped teens at risk of gaming problems put things off lessUsedHelpedOver a year, teens who had four school group sessions put things off less than teens who only did questionnaires.
Randomised trial of 422 German teens at risk of gaming problems · vs students who only filled in questionnaires · they rated themselves · ⚠ whole groups were assigned, not people
Paper
Group lessons on explaining setbacks were reported to help children with dyslexiaUsedHelpedKids who learned to blame setbacks on effort, not skill, were said to put off schoolwork less than the others.
Small randomised trial of 30 children aged 7 to 10 with dyslexia · vs children who got nothing · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable
Paper
Sleep coaching by phone did not clearly steady bed and wake timesUsedNo differenceWeekly sleep lessons, coach-set sleep goals and tracker feedback did not steady bed and wake times more than health emails.
Very small randomised trial of 14 adults with type 1 diabetes and poor sleep · vs weekly health emails and short calls without sleep advice · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ summary claims more than the results show; groups weren't properly compared
Paper
An online course on daily rhythms didn't make routines more regular than emailed readingTestedNo differenceAdding short weekly calls from a helper to the online course made routines no more regular than the course alone.
Small randomised trial of 47 adults with bipolar disorder · vs people who used the online course alone · they rated themselves · ⚠ many people dropped out; numbers unreliable; summary claims more than the results show
Paper
Group training in focus and study skills helped nursing students put things off lessUsedHelpedStudents who learned focus, study and memory skills in a group put off schoolwork less than the waiting group.
Small randomised trial of 30 female nursing students in Iran · vs students still waiting for the training · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable; results look too good to be true
Paper
Girls put off schoolwork less after group therapy on deep-rooted beliefsUsedHelpedAfter ten group sessions of therapy on deep-rooted beliefs, girls said they put off schoolwork less than untreated girls.
Small randomised trial of 30 high-school girls who put off schoolwork a lot · vs girls who got nothing · they rated themselves · ⚠ results look too good to be true
Paper
Seven group therapy sessions helped midwives put off work and decisions lessUsedHelpedAfter seven group sessions on unhelpful thoughts and splitting tasks, midwives put off work less than others for two months.
Small randomised trial of 47 midwives in Iran who put things off · vs midwives who got nothing · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable
Paper
Group counselling sessions helped high-school students put off schoolwork lessUsedHelpedStudents in counsellor-led groups who owned up to their late work put off schoolwork less than the other group.
Small randomised trial of 61 high-school students in Bali, Indonesia · vs students who got no described counselling · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable
Paper
A coached sit-less plan weakened older adults' sitting habit a bit moreUsedHelpedCoaching, a buzzing wristband and sitting charts weakened the sitting habit a bit more than a health workbook did.
Small randomised trial of 60 older adults with obesity who sit a lot · vs a health workbook, one coach session and mailings · they rated themselves · ⚠ only counted people who finished; many people dropped out; many outcomes tested without correction
Paper
Home sessions made blood sugar checks feel a bit more automatic, but not pillsUsedMixedHome talks on goals, habits and routines made blood sugar checks feel a bit more automatic, but not pills.
Small randomised trial of 81 young adults with poorly controlled diabetes · vs a home visit, leaflets and phone calls · they rated themselves
Paper
Group sessions on making better choices helped high-school boys put off schoolwork lessUsedHelpedBoys who had eight group talks on choices and plans put off exam study and homework less than others.
Very small randomised trial of 24 high-school boys in Iran · vs boys who got no counselling · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable
Paper
Parents' food goals felt more automatic after home visits, with no group to compareUsedNo comparisonParents who set one clear food goal at a time said it felt much more automatic within six weeks.
Small study of one group of 57 parents of young children in London · no comparison group · they rated themselves · ⚠ intervention arm only, no comparison analysed; post-hoc analysis; numbers unreliable
Paper
Therapy on steady daily habits beat short check-in visitsUsedHelpedTherapy on steady days, with a daily log of task times, made days steadier than short visits with sleep tips.
Randomised trial of 175 adults with bipolar I disorder in the USA · vs short visits with facts, sleep tips and support · they rated themselves · ⚠ groups used different versions of the routine diary
Often used with it
Action5
Challenge unhelpful thoughtsCognitive restructuring of beliefs such as perfectionism or catastrophising.
Action4
Learn how the problem worksPsychoeducation about procrastination, habits, sleep, routines or ADHD.
