Effects of goal clarification on impulsivity and academic procrastination of college students

Nearly 50% of the college population struggles with academic procrastination, which is an impulsivity problem that often leads to emotional difficulties and college dropout. This study aimed to assess whether an online intervention on clarification of academic goals could reduce impulsivity and academic procrastination in college students. Forty-eight participants were assigned to three different types of interventions: (a) SMART-type goal clarification treatment (setting specific, measurable, agreed upon, realistic and time-based goals); (b) instructional intervention for the abandonment of procrastination (conventional self-help type intervention); and (c) a waiting list. Only SMART intervention produced a statistically significant decrease in impulsivity (measured in terms of a hyperbolic discounting test; Whelan & McHugh, 2009), and academic procrastination (measured with the Procrastination Assessment Scale-Student – PASS), in both cases with small-to-moderate treatment effects. In conclusion, the study showed that online SMART-type goal clarification led to positive changes in impulsiveness and academic procrastination of college students, whereas a self-help protocol failed to produce similar effects. Potential reasons for reduced treatment effects of the SMART intervention are examined (e.g., experimental control). Also, prospective lines of research are discussed in view of the scarcity of experimental studies in this area.