Application of self-determination theory in the e-health industry – promoting sustainable exercise motivation

• Developing tailored digital interventions for exercise motivation by applying behavioral theory into existing web services in cooperation with the e-health industry could create a mutual base for experience exchange and practical implications. It could also add higher standards to e-health business by providing a scientifically sound and trustworthy foundation for digital solutions. This project aims to design an interactive tool grounded in sport and exercise psychology and combined with the latest expertise from information technology and innovation science, considering e-health industrial requirements and user needs. A main objective is to test the efficacy of using Self-Determination Theory (SDT) in designing, constructing and evaluating an exercise intervention. The digital intervention is based on a literature review mapping exercise motivation related to self-determination theory, complemented by qualitative cross-disciplinary interaction design methodologies, such as qualitative analysis of interviews and contextual observation capturing participant goals, behaviour, preferences, attitudes and frustrations. Intervention contents are essentially autonomy supportive structures, goal-setting support and relapse prevention, self-regulation structures, health information and web links. In February 2015 the intervention prototype will be pilot tested in a randomized controlled trial (RCT), involving existing members and clients (N > 10 000) of two health service companies. Outcomes relate to self-determined exercise motivation (The Basic Psychological Needs in Exercise Scale and The Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-2) and exercise behaviour, measured both by self-report measures (Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire) and step counters. The RCT contains three measure points in order to allow advanced analyses of change and mechanisms based on the SDT-process model and motivational profiles. Latent growth curve and structural equation models will primarily be used to analyse data. This pilot study will create a baseline for elaboration into a second phase, were the digital tool will be further developed and longitudinally tested and evaluated over a nine months period. © 2015 University of Bern, Institut of Sport Science 

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Psykologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Psychology (hsv//eng)

Publication and Content Type

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