Abstract
BACKGROUND: Procrastination consists of behavioral, emotional, and cognitive components. It is behavioral when someone frequently delays starting or finishing a task. The cognitive aspect of procrastination involves the difference between goals and behavior. Students often postpone completing tasks that they are required to finish, which negatively impacts their academic performance. The goal of rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) is to address the dysfunctional behavioral, emotional, and cognitive components of procrastination. This study was conducted based on that premise. METHODS: The study utilized a quasi-experimental design. A sample size of 128 students from secondary schools participated using the Gpower method and were assigned to 2 groups. Academic procrastination behaviors and irrational beliefs associated with these behaviors were assessed using procrastination and irrational beliefs scales. After an initial screening, a 12-session intervention program was implemented. RESULTS: The study found that the REBT intervention significantly reduced participants' academic procrastination behaviors. Furthermore, 3 months after the intervention, the participants' academic procrastination remained significantly lower. Participants who received REBT had lower mean academic procrastination ratings posttreatment compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that rational emotive behavioral therapy effectively reduces procrastination in educational settings. Future research should focus on investigating the clinical significance of rational emotive behavioral therapy across different cultures using larger and more diverse populations. Additionally, future studies should examine the therapeutic benefits of rational emotive behavioral therapy across cultural boundaries.