A systematic review of three approaches for constructing physical activity messages: What messages work and what improvements are needed?

Abstract

BackgroundTo motivate individuals to adhere to a regular physical activity regime, guidelines must be supplemented with persuasive messages that are disseminated widely. While substantial research has examined effective strategies for disseminating physical activity messages, there has been no systematic effort to examine optimal message content. This paper reviews studies that evaluate the effectiveness of three approaches for constructing physical activity messages including tailoring messages to suit individual characteristics of message recipients (message tailoring), framing messages in terms of gains versus losses (message framing), and targeting messages to affect change in self-efficacy (i.e., a theoretical determinant of behavior change).MethodsWe searched the MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE and CINAHL databases up to July 2008. Relevant reference lists also were searched. We included intervention trials, field experiments, and laboratory-based studies that aimed to test the efficacy or effectiveness of tailored messages, framed messages and self-efficacy change messages among healthy adults. We used a descriptive approach to analyze emerging patterns in research findings. Based on this evidence we made recommendations for practice and future research.ResultsTwenty-two studies were identified. Twelve studies evaluated message tailoring. In 10 of these studies, tailored messages resulted in greater physical activity than a control message. Six studies evaluated framed messages. Five of these studies demonstrated that gain-framed messages lead to stronger intentions to be active compared to a control message. Moreover, a gain-frame advantage was evident in three of the four studies that assessed physical activity. Four studies evaluated self-efficacy change messages. The two studies that used an experimental design provide a clear indication that individuals' beliefs can be affected by messages that incorporate types of information known to be determinants of self-efficacy. Overall, strong evidence to support definitive recommendations for optimal message content and structure was lacking.ConclusionsAdditional research testing the optimal content of messages used to supplement physical activity guidelines is needed. Tailored messages, gain-framed messages, and self-efficacy change messages hold promise as strategies for constructing physical activity messages and should be a focus of future research.

A word of advice: how to tailor motivational text messages based on behavior change theory to personality and gender

“…This paper will focus on text messages as the modality to deliver our strategies. Unfortunately, as pointed out by Latimer et al [30], studies describing the development of such technology do not yet explain in detail how the researchers designed the motivational messages used. Therefore, there are no best practices available to construct these messages.…”

‘Join us on our journey’: exploring the experiences of children and young people with type 1 diabetes and their parents

“…The use of gain-and loss-frames in health-related messages has been extensively investigated (e.g., Gallagher & Updegraff, 2012;Latimer, Brawley and Bassett, 2010;O'Keefe & Jensen, 2008;Van't Riet, Cox, Cox, Zimet, De Brujin, Van den Putte, et al, 2014). Gainframes highlight the health consequences one would avoid by abstaining from the risk behaviour, whereas loss-frames describe negative health consequences as losses that result from engaging in a risk behavior (e.g., AS use).…”

Validation of persuasive messages for the promotion of physical activity among people with coronary heart disease

“…Despite the benefits of physical activity in controlling the progression of CHD, low compliance has been observed among patients with CHD (4) , which has stimulated the development/implementation of interventions (5) , particularly concerning models for behavioral change (6) with the objective of promoting compliance with the practice of physical activity.…”