A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Group Counseling Based on Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and Metacognitive Therapy on Academic Procrastination and Internet Addiction among High School Students

The objective of the current investigation was to evaluate the efficacy of group counseling that is based on mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and metacognitive therapy in the context of academic procrastination and internet addiction among high school students. A control group was included in the study, which employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest-follow-up approach over a two-month period. The statistical population consisted of all male high school students in Takestan County during the 2020-2021 academic year. A total of 45 students (15 in each group) were randomly selected and assigned to two experimental groups and one control group, with random sampling employed. Solomon and Rothblum’s Academic Procrastination Questionnaire (PASS) and Young’s Internet Addiction Test (IAQ) were employed in this investigation. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 26 for multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) and repeated measures ANOVA. The results suggested that the mean differences in academic procrastination and internet addiction between the treated groups and the control group were statistically significant (P<0.01). Consequently, both mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and metacognitive therapy significantly reduced academic procrastination and internet addiction among students. A comparison of the posttest and follow-up groups demonstrated that both therapeutic approaches maintained their effects on reducing academic procrastination and internet addiction over the long term (p>0.05). The LSD post-hoc test demonstrated that the treated groups did not exhibit any significant differences in academic procrastination or internet addiction, with significance levels of 0.61 and 0.59 (p>0.05). Due to the fact that both therapeutic approaches are equally effective in reducing academic procrastination and internet addiction, counselors should employ either approach when assisting students who present with these issues.