Studies of Psychology and Behavior

Studies of Psychology and Behavior ›› 2026, Vol. 24 ›› Issue (3): 327-334.DOI: 10.12139/j.1672-0628.2026.03.006

• ? • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Alleviating Academic Procrastination in Primary School Students Through Episodic Future Thinking Training

Yuhua LI1,2, Yuqi ZHANG1, Jingya HAN3, Quan LI4, Libin ZHANG5, Tingting TONG6, Biying ZHANG2, Tingyong FENG*,2()   

  1. 1. School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022
    2. Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715
    3. Wushan Senior High School, Chongqing 404700
    4. School of Teacher Education, Qujing Normal University, Qujing 655011
    5. Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875
    6. Health Education Center, Chongqing Medical and Pharmaceutical College, Chongqing 401331
  • Received:2025-05-20 Online:2026-05-20 Published:2026-05-20
  • Contact: Tingyong FENG

预期想象训练对小学生学业拖延的改善

李玉华1,2, 张宇祺1, 韩靖雅3, 李泉4, 张李斌5, 童廷婷6, 张碧滢2, 冯廷勇*,2()   

  1. 1. 江西师范大学心理学院，南昌 330022
    2. 西南大学心理学部，重庆 400715
    3. 巫山高级中学，重庆 404700
    4. 曲靖师范学院教师教育学院，曲靖 655011
    5. 北京师范大学心理学部，北京 100875
    6. 重庆医药高等专科学校健康教育中心，重庆 401331
  • 通讯作者: 冯廷勇
  • 基金资助:
    国家自然科学基金项目(32460206，32571253，32271123)。

RichHTML

PDF (PC)

Abstract:

Academic procrastination frequently contributes to suboptimal learning outcomes, undermining self-belief in their abilities, and distressing psychological states among students. Framed within the temporal decision model of procrastination, this research investigated how episodic future thinking shapes academic procrastination behaviors in primary school students and evaluated the real-world efficacy of a targeted training program aimed at intervening procrastination. The first study involved 1042 pupils who completed a free construction task designed to assess how episodic future thinking shapes procrastination behaviors. Analyses revealed that vivid imagination of negative task engagement emerged as a significant positive predictor of academic procrastination, whereas detailed visualization of positive task outcomes served as a significant negative predictor. In the second study, 80 children exhibiting severe academic procrastination were assigned to either an intervention or a control condition using a pretest-posttest design, aiming to evaluate the benefits of a structured episodic future thinking training program. Results demonstrated that such training effectively reduced students’ levels of academic procrastination. This research not only provides empirical support for the temporal decision model but also translates the findings directly into practical intervention tools for classrooms and households (e.g., imagination diaries, parent guidance manuals on “how to guide children in constructing success scenarios”), offering a novel approach to alleviating student procrastination.

Key words: episodic future thinking training, negative engagement thinking, positive outcome thinking, academic procrastination, primary school students

摘要：

学业拖延往往导致学生学业表现不佳、自我效能感降低以及负面情绪体验。本研究基于时间决策模型，考察预期想象对小学生学业拖延行为的影响以及预期想象训练的干预有效性。研究1招募1042名小学生，采用自由构建预期想象任务，考察预期想象对小学生学业拖延的影响。结果显示，负性过程想象显著正向预测学业拖延，正性结果想象显著负向预测学业拖延。研究2招募80名严重学业拖延的小学生，采用干预组控制组前测后测实验设计，进一步探究预期想象训练对小学生学业拖延的改善作用。结果发现，预期想象训练可以有效降低学生的学业拖延水平。本研究不仅为时间决策模型提供实证支持，研究成果也可直接转化为课堂和家庭的干预工具(如想象日记、“如何引导孩子构建成功场景”的家长指导手册等)，为缓解学生拖延问题提供了新思路。

关键词: 预期想象训练, 负性过程想象, 正性结果想象, 学业拖延, 小学生

CLC Number: