Mindfulness intervention for academic procrastination: A randomized control trial

Procrastination is a form of self-regulation failure that can have significant negative consequences for individuals. Research evidence indicates that mindfulness can be beneficial for self-regulation, and also procrastination is associated with low levels of mindfulness. Therefore, the current study tested the effectiveness of mindfulness training in reducing procrastination among students. Thirty-six procrastinating students were screened using the cluster sampling method and the multidimensional scale of academic procrastination. Participants were randomly assigned to either mindfulness training or wait-list control groups. Questionnaires related to procrastination were used to collect data at the beginning and end of the study. The mindfulness intervention was performed in eight 90-min weekly sessions for the training group to compare it with a wait-list control group. Analyses of covariance and follow-up comparisons between the mindfulness training and the wait-list control groups pre-and 1-week post-intervention revealed large effect sizes, with the mindfulness training group showing higher scores on self-regulation and mindfulness scales. They also reduced procrastination behavior and showed lower scores on negative emotions and perceived negative consequences. Our results indicate that mindfulness training may be an effective strategy to help students improve their self-regulation and reduce procrastination.