TWOgether - From Sport Zero to Sport Hero

Summary

BACKGROUND: The physiological and psychological benefits of regular physical activity (PA) and reduced sedentary behavior are well documented. Nevertheless, the majority of adolescents in western countries, e.g., Switzerland, do not meet the recommendations for moderate to vigorous PA of at least one hour per day. Planning interventions, defined as the creation of plans when, where and how to engage in a behavior change, have been proposed as an effective way of translating intentions into action. AIM: The project aims at closing the empirical gap of the question whether or not planning interventions of PA in adolescents are successful and which planning intervention is the most effective one.

In detail, it is aimed for to examine changes in (daily) moderate to vigorous physical activity in adolescents' friendship dyads following (a) an individual planning intervention, (b) a collaborative planning intervention or (c) one of the two no-planning control conditions. Changes in (daily) physical activity will be examined over a period of 6-months. By investigating the intervention effect systematically by means of daily diaries, long-term follow-ups and objective measurements this project will provide a novel knowledge about individual self-regulating mechanism and social exchange processes as the mediating mechanism of the effectiveness of individual and collaborative planning for health behavior change in adolescents. DESIGN: Single-blind four-arm parallel-group cluster-randomized controlled trial with longitudinal design. The assessment of the main and secondary outcomes is conducted at the baseline, at 1 week after the first intervention session, and at 1-, and 6-month follow-ups. The intervention consists of one planning session and one booster session after 1-month. PARTICIPANTS: The sample will consist of 400 friendship dyads between 14 and 18 years of age. A cluster-randomization will assign participants to one of the two planning groups (collaborative or individual) or one of the two control groups. Both partners of the friendship dyad will complete all questionnaires. OUTCOMES: Physical activity constitutes the main outcome, whereas self-regulatory strategies like planning, self-efficacy, as well as social exchange processes like social support are secondary outcomes.

Conditions

• Physical Activity
• Adolescent Behavior
• Health Behavior

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Individual planning

Each participant forms up to three action and up to three coping plans individually, without consulting the participating friend, but discussing the plans with the experimenter. CONTENT: The planning materials and forms have the following sections: (a) information on the importance of planning (b) instructions of what should be included in a good plan (the when, where, and how components), (c) formulating action and coping plans based on the if-then structure. Action plans (referring to when, when, and how the individual will act) as well as coping plans (referring to how to overcome potential difficulties, risky situations or temptations to not engage in physical activity).

BEHAVIORAL

Collaborative planning

Both friends together create up to three if-then plans on when, where, and how both will implement PA together. In addition, up to three coping plans will be formed together. This jointly developed plan is discussed with the experimenter. CONTENT: The planning materials and forms have the following sections: (a) information on the importance of planning (b) instructions of what should be included in a good plan (the when, where, and how components), (c) formulating action and coping plans based on the if-then structure. Action plans refers to when, when, and how the individual will act) as well as coping plans (referring to how to overcome potential difficulties, risky situations or temptations to not engage in PA). All materials are formulated using the plural.

BEHAVIORAL

Education and motivation treatment

Adolescents will watch a movie from the Federal Office of Public Health Switzerland including the guidelines of physical activity (PA) for adolescents. All adolescents respond to a quiz afterwards. After the quiz, the experimenter repeats the guidelines for PA based on a brochure that all adolescents can take home with them. In addition, the experimenter asks for barriers and benefits of PA the adolescents perceive. Next to it, the experimenter explains that a weight gain might be possible due to PA in the beginning. Furthermore, the experimenter presents how the data of the accelerometer should look like if one is sufficiently physical active. As a last part self-efficacy as an important aspect of goal success is mentioned. The materials exclude any planning statements.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Swiss National Science Foundation

  collaborator OTHER

• SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Southern Queensland

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Zurich

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Theda Radtke, PhD · University of Zurich

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

14 Years

Max Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2018-09-18

Primary Completion

2021-06-01

Completion

2022-06-01

Countries

• Switzerland

Study Locations