Using Self-Motivating Messages to Encourage People to Exercise More

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Physical Activity
• Interventions: Behavioral: Drafting Motivational Messages; Behavioral: Control Reminders; Behavioral: Treatment Reminders

• Registration Number: NCT02903849
• Lead Sponsor: Washington University School of Medicine

Brief Summary

The investigators are interested in using personalized, self-motivating messages to motivate people to exercise more.

Detailed Description

The investigators are interested in using personalized, self-motivating messages to motivate people to exercise more. Through a partnership with a university, the investigators are running a large-scale, randomized field controlled trial aimed at increasing exercise frequencies during a 100-day challenge. The primary purpose of this study is to test whether sending people motivating messages they wrote to themselves in the past can keep them engaged in the challenge and motivate them to exercise more frequently. One week into the challenge, employees who have signed up for the challenge will receive an email inviting them to participate in a short activity. Employees who click on the link will be directed to a survey. Once they finish reading the first introductory page and click "next", they will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. In the control group, employees will be encouraged to write down what they think will motivate them to walk more after 20, 50, and 90 days into the Challenge. These employees will receive standard reminders on the 20th, 50th, and 90th day of the challenge. In the treatment group, employees will be encouraged to write down motivating messages that they will receive on the 20th, 50th, and 90th day of the Challenge.

All employees who are exposed to either the control or the treatment condition will be included in the analysis.

The investigators plan to explore moderators based on (a) employees' demographics (age, gender, ethnicity, position), (b) employees' participation in previous challenges, and (c) employees' health condition and fitness level prior to the challenge (such as how actively they have been participating in other wellness activities, their health statistics).

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2016-09
• Study First Submitted: 2016-09-13
• Study First Submitted QC: 2016-09-15
• Study First Posted: 2016-09-16
• Primary Completion: 2016-12
• Study Completion: 2017-01
• Status Verified: 2017-05
• Last Update Submitted: 2017-05-08
• Last Update Posted: 2017-05-09

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 324

Inclusion Criteria

• Employees who click on the link inviting them to participate in an activity and are assigned to either the treatment or control condition

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Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

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Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Treatment	Drafting Motivational Messages	On the 20th, 50th, and 90th day of the Challenge, Wellness Connection will email employees who participate in this survey. Employees will see the motivating messages they wrote at the beginning of the Challenge, in addition to Wellness Connection's standard reminders.
Control	Control Reminders	On the 20th, 50th, and 90th day of the Challenge, Wellness Connection will email employees who participate in this survey. Employees will receive standard reminders generated by Wellness Connection.
Control	Drafting Motivational Messages	On the 20th, 50th, and 90th day of the Challenge, Wellness Connection will email employees who participate in this survey. Employees will receive standard reminders generated by Wellness Connection.
Treatment	Treatment Reminders	On the 20th, 50th, and 90th day of the Challenge, Wellness Connection will email employees who participate in this survey. Employees will see the motivating messages they wrote at the beginning of the Challenge, in addition to Wellness Connection's standard reminders.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Activity Level	Through study completion, 100 days	Number of steps taken each day, as recorded in participants' online portal.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Body Mass Index (BMI)	After the 100-day challenge ends	Most recent BMI in pounds (weight) and inches (height) as entered by participant, an expected average of 2 months after study start. Obtaining the data is dependent on the ability to obtain the data from the online portal.
Cholesterol	After the 100-day challenge ends	Most recent total, low, and high cholesterol levels in mg/dl as entered by participant, an expected average of 2 months after study start. Obtaining the data is dependent on the ability to obtain the data from the online portal.
Blood Pressure	After the 100-day challenge ends	Most recent systolic and diastolic levels in mmHg as entered by participant, an expected average of 2 months after study start. Obtaining the data is dependent on the ability to obtain the data from the online portal.
Stress	After the 100-day challenge ends	Most recent self-reported stress level on a 1-5 scale (with 1 indicating "Relaxed" and 5 indicating "Highly Stressed") as entered by participant, an expected average of 2 months after study start. Obtaining the data is dependent on the ability to obtain the data from the online portal.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Hengchen Dai; 🇺🇸 Saint Louis, Missouri, United States