A Couples-based Approach for Increasing Physical Activity Among Adults With Type 2 Diabetes

In a 6-week experimental design, up to 90 adult couples in which one partner has Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) will be randomly assigned to either the collaborative implementation intentions (Collaborative IIs), the Individual Implementation Intentions (Individual IIs) condition, or the control condition. As this is a pilot study, randomization for the experimental groups vs the control groups will occur at a 2:1 ratio. Thus, the experimental conditions will contain up to 36 participants and the control condition will contain up to 18 participants. Adults with T2D who are living with a romantic partner, not meeting current physical activity guidelines but able and willing to begin a new physical activity (PA) routine and their partners will be assessed at baseline, 3 weeks and 6 weeks after the experimental manipulation. Partners will report on their own investment in the patient's goal and patients will report on their own PA self-efficacy. Patient's PA will be measured through self-report, partner report and accelerometers for a week prior to each survey assessment. These specific aims are planned:

AIM 1: Determine whether collaborative IIs for patient's PA lead to a greater increase in partner investment in partners of adults with T2D than do individual IIs or control.

AIM 2: Determine whether collaborative IIs for patient's PA lead to a greater increase in patient PA self-efficacy in adults with T2D than do individual IIs or control.

AIM 3: Determine whether collaborative IIs for patient's PA lead to a greater increase in patient PA in adults with T2D than do individual IIs or control.