Secondary analyses of pooled RCT data (N=459) examined who benefits most from CBT for academic procrastination (vs. wait-list control) and which mechanisms drive change, using moderation analyses and longitudinal structural equation models with contemporaneous and lagged mediation paths across pre-, mid-, and post-intervention timepoints.
Greater baseline emotion regulation difficulties predicted better outcomes with CBT, while cluster B personality disorder-linked dysfunctional beliefs predicted lower improvements. Increased task value and proactive control mediated both contemporaneous and lagged procrastination reductions; contemporaneous effects were also mediated by positive/negative task-related affect, perseverance, emotional clarity, and internal success attributions. Baseline depression, anxiety, and ADHD symptoms did not moderate outcomes.
Secondary analyses of two trials limit causal inference; pooling two academic procrastination RCTs may restrict generalizability to other populations or procrastination contexts; wait-list control cannot rule out non-specific effects.
CBT for procrastination appears broadly applicable across comorbid mood and ADHD presentations, but may be less effective for those with cluster B personality traits — consider augmenting with targeted components. Interventions that directly boost task value, proactive control, and emotion regulation skills are likely the active ingredients worth emphasizing.
