Digital intervention on academic procrastination: a systematic review

Abstract

Academic procrastination is a widespread problem in higher education and is associated with poorer academic performance, reduced well-being, and difficulties in self-regulation. With the increasing use of digital technologies in education and psychological support, digital interventions have emerged as a potentially scalable approach to addressing academic procrastination. However, systematic evidence regarding how such interventions is defined, how effective they are, and what factors shape their outcomes remains limited. This systematic review aimed to clarify the concept of digital interventions in the context of academic procrastination, evaluate their effectiveness, and identify factors influencing intervention success. Following preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) 2020, a systematic search was conducted across Web of Science, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, and ProQuest, supplemented by citation tracking and reference screening. Finally, 17 empirical studies were included. The findings showed that digital interventions could be grouped into three broad categories and generally produced beneficial, though varied, effects on academic procrastination. More structured and theory-driven interventions tended to show more consistent benefits, whereas lower-intensity interventions yielded mixed or context-dependent results. Overall, digital interventions appear promising, but their effectiveness depends on intervention design, user engagement, and contextual support.