Text Message and Competition-Based Interventions Among University Students

Physical Inactivity Clinical Trial

Official title:

Examining the Effects of Text Message and Competition-Based Interventions on Physical Activity, Self-Efficacy, Self-Regulation, Social Support, Incentive Motivation, and Mental Well-being Among University Students

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT06246812
• Other study ID #: 22-380 EX 2209
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: September 19, 2022
• Est. completion date: December 11, 2022

Study information

• Verified date: February 2024
• Source: Auburn University
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The goal of this quasi-experimental study is to assess and compare the effectiveness of text message interventions and a competition-based intervention and evaluate participants' acceptability and experiences in university students. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. What are the effects of text message interventions and competition-based interventions on university students' physical activity levels, self-efficacy, self-regulation, social support, incentive motivation, and mental well-being?

2. What are participants' perceptions regarding their experience with and acceptability of text message interventions and competition-based interventions?

Participants will

1. participate in a fitness competition

2. participate in a fitness competition and receive text messages

3. enroll in control group

Description:

Physical activity promotes health and wellness, yet many U.S. university students are physically inactive. Text messaging and competition-based interventions have been shown to increase physical activity. The primary objectives of this study are to 1) assess and compare the effectiveness of a competition-based intervention with and without a Social Cognitive Theory-based text-messaging campaign in improving physical activity among university students, and 2) evaluate participants' acceptability and experiences of the text messaging and the competition-based interventions. In coordination with the Deans' Fit Family Challenge (DFFC; an annual physical activity and weight loss competition between Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Auburn Campus (VCOM-Auburn), Auburn University College of Nursing (AUCON), and Auburn University Harrison College of Pharmacy(HCOP), a 3-group quasi-experimental design will be employed to accomplish the study objectives. A total of 300 students will be enrolled. Students across all 3 institutions who sign up for the DFFC and enroll in this study will be randomly assigned to a competition-only group or a competition + text messaging group. The 3rd group will include students across all 3 institutions who enroll in the study but are not participating in the DFFC.

Participants will submit physical activity minutes via the "Challenge Runner" app, after initially connecting the app to their fitness tracker. All participants will be asked to complete the first anonymous survey at the beginning of the study, as well as the second anonymous survey at the conclusion of the study. Variables of interest include weekly activity minutes, self-efficacy, self-regulation, social support, incentive motivation, mental well-being, participants' acceptability and experiences, and maintenance of moderate and vigorous activity 4 weeks after DFFC. Data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics to characterize the sample and inferential statistics to analyze associations.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 58
• Est. completion date: December 11, 2022
• Est. primary completion date: November 11, 2022
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Auburn University Harrison College of Pharmacy (HCOP), Auburn University College of Nursing (AUCON), and Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Auburn Campus (VCOM
• Auburn) students

• Possess a smartphone and a fitness tracker or smartwatch

• Willingness to receive text messages

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnant women

• Disabilities or chronic diseases that prevent them from being physically active

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Physical Inactivity

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Deans' Fit Family Challenge
An annual 8-week physical activity and weight loss competition between VCOM-Auburn, AU College of Nursing, and AU Harrison School of Pharmacy
• Text message
Three text messages per week to promote and motive physical activity

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	Auburn University	Auburn	Alabama
United States	Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Auburn Campus	Auburn	Alabama

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Auburn University	Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

References & Publications (4)

Farren GL, Zhang T, Martin SB, Thomas KT. Factors related to meeting physical activity guidelines in active college students: A social cognitive perspective. J Am Coll Health. 2017 Jan;65(1):10-21. doi: 10.1080/07448481.2016.1229320. Epub 2016 Sep 3. — View Citation

Feng D, Zhang Y. College Students' Knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding body posture: A cross-sectional survey--Taking a university in Wuhu City as an example. Prev Med Rep. 2023 Sep 16;36:102422. doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2023.102422. eCollection 2023 Dec. — View Citation

Jeftic I, Furzer B, Dimmock JA, Wright K, Budden T, Boyd C, Simpson A, Rosenberg M, Sabiston CM, deJonge M, Jackson B. The Stride program: Feasibility and pre-to-post program change of an exercise service for university students experiencing mental distress. Psychol Sport Exerc. 2023 Nov;69:102507. doi: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2023.102507. Epub 2023 Aug 16. — View Citation

Rovniak LS, Anderson ES, Winett RA, Stephens RS. Social cognitive determinants of physical activity in young adults: a prospective structural equation analysis. Ann Behav Med. 2002 Spring;24(2):149-56. doi: 10.1207/S15324796ABM2402_12. — View Citation

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Other	Race		week 0
Other	Ethnicity		week 0
Other	Gender		week 0
Other	Age		week 0
Other	Health Literacy assessed by Brief Health Literacy Screening Tool	The BRIEF consists of the following questions: (1) How often do you have someone help you read hospital materials?"; (2) How confident are you filling out medical forms by yourself?"; (3) "How often do you have problems learning about your medical condition because of difficulty understanding written information?"; and (4) "How often do you have a problem understanding what is told to you about your medical condition?"	week 0
Primary	Minutes of weekly moderate to vigorous physical activity	Self-reported via the ChallengeRunner online platform	week 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Secondary	Self Efficacy assessed by 9-item Exercise Self Efficacy Scale	The Self Efficacy for Exercise scale consists of nine situations (weather, boredom, pain, exercising alone, not pleasurable, too busy, feel tired, stress, depressed) that might effect participation in exercise.	week 0 and 8
Secondary	Self Regulation assessed by 10-item Self-Regulation Scale	A self-report questionnaire to assess attention control in goal pursuit.	week 0 and 8
Secondary	Social Support assessed by 5-item Friend Support for Exercise Habits Scale	Part of the Social Support for Exercise Scale developed by Sallis and colleagues.	week 0 and 8
Secondary	Incentive Motivation assessed by 23-item Physical Activity Motivation Scale	The 23-item Physical Activity Motivation Scale consists of six groups of factors: intrinsic, integrated, identified, introjected, external, and amotivation.	week 0 and 8
Secondary	Mental Well-Being assessed by The World Health Organization Five Well-Being Index	A short self-reported measure of current mental wellbeing.	week 0 and 8
Secondary	Participants' Experience assessed by questionnaires	Two multiple choice questions and two open-ended questions	week 8
Secondary	Participants' Acceptability assessed by questionnaires	Two 5-point Likert scale questions	week 8