An Investigation of the Impact of an Intervention to Reduce Academic Procrastination Using Short Message Service (SMS) Technology

This mixed-method pilot study investigated the impact of a custom Short Message Service (SMS) reminder system developed to help students reduce procrastination and increase performance on weekly content-related quizzes in a high-enrollment hybrid online course. Text message reminders were sent to three students with high procrastination and low performance levels on a schedule based on free-operant avoidance principles, where messages would be terminated upon completion of the weekly quiz. The results suggest that there was sufficient evidence that the system had a positive effect on procrastination levels, but less evidence for an effect on performance. Subsequent interviews with the participants confirmed the utility and potential of the system, and revealed areas for improvement in the implementation of the SMS reminder system as well as an understanding of the students’ response to the intervention. The phenomenon of procrastination is widespread in society, but it is particularly prevalent and potentially detrimental in the academic setting. It has been defined on several occasions (Lay, 1986; Milgram, Mey-Tal, & Levison, 1998; Solomon & Rothblum, 1984), but Schraw, Wadkins, and Olafson (2007) provided a useful working definition that captured the essence of the phenomenon. They defined procrastination as “intentionally deferring or delaying work that must be completed” (2007, p. 13). Within an academic institution, Steel (2007) reported that more than 80% of students procrastinated, and up to 50% were chronic procrastinators. The consequences of procrastination have been documented as largely negative in terms of emotional issues such as stress (Tice & Baumeister, 1997), self-esteem (Steel, 2007), and anxiety (Lay & Schouwenburg, 1993). The theme remains consistent within the academic setting, where procrastination has been linked to reduced academic performance (Perrin et al., 2011; Rakes & Dunn, 2010; Tuckman, 2005). Although most researchers present procrastination as a detrimental trait and the result of a failure of self-regulation (Rabin, Fogel, & Nutter-Upham, 2011), some researchers have suggested that it may be advantageous under certain conditions. Chu and Choi (2005) delineated between traditional “passive” procrastinators and a new group termed “active” procrastinators. They concluded that active procrastinators “are more likely to accomplish tasks with satisfactory outcomes than passive procrastinators, who are often paralyzed by indecision regarding action and haunted by past failure to complete tasks” (2005, p. 260). Other scholars who have Journal of Interactive Online Learning Davis and Abbitt