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ACT and CBT single-session interventions reduce procrastination among students compared to a control group - The
Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics
|August 10, 2026
Summary
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) single-session interventions effectively reduced student procrastination. Higher improvement expectations correlated with better outcomes, while expectation congruence had no significant effect.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Intervention Science
Background:
- Procrastination is common among university students, negatively impacting well-being and academic functioning.
- Existing interventions for procrastination are often time-intensive, posing accessibility challenges for students.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of single-session interventions (SSIs) based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for reducing student procrastination.
- To investigate the influence of outcome expectations and manipulated expectation congruence on intervention efficacy.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 151 students with recurrent procrastination.
- Participants were assigned to a CBT-SSI, ACT-SSI, or a no-intervention control group.
- Interventions were 60-minute face-to-face sessions, with expectation congruence manipulated via pre-session videos.
Main Results:
- Both CBT-SSI and ACT-SSI significantly reduced state procrastination, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and task aversion compared to the control group.
- No significant differences were found between CBT and ACT interventions.
- Higher baseline improvement expectations predicted greater improvement, independent of intervention condition.
Conclusions:
- CBT- and ACT-based SSIs are effective, accessible, short-term strategies for mitigating student procrastination.
- Treatment expectations and adherence appear crucial for optimizing brief psychological interventions.
- Further research should explore long-term efficacy and mechanisms of change.
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