Behavior Change Techniques Implemented in Electronic Lifestyle Activity Monitors: A Systematic Content Analysis

By Elizabeth J Lyons, Zakkoyya H. Lewis, Brian G Mayrsohn, J. Rowland. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 2014

532 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Background Electronic activity monitors (such as those manufactured by Fitbit, Jawbone, and Nike) improve on standard pedometers by providing automated feedback and interactive behavior change tools via mobile device or personal computer. These monitors are commercially popular and show promise for use in public health interventions. However, little is known about the content of their feedback applications and how individual monitors may differ from one another. Objective The purpose of this study was to describe the behavior change techniques implemented in commercially available electronic activity monitors. Methods Electronic activity monitors (N=13) were systematically identified and tested by 3 trained coders for at least 1 week each. All monitors measured lifestyle physical activity and provided feedback via an app (computer or mobile). Coding was based on a hierarchical list of 93 behavior change techniques. Further coding of potentially effective techniques and adherence to theory-based recommendations were based on findings from meta-analyses and meta-regressions in the research literature. Results All monitors provided tools for self-monitoring, feedback, and environmental change by definition. The next most prevalent techniques (13 out of 13 monitors) were goal-setting and emphasizing discrepancy between current and goal behavior. Review of behavioral goals, social support, social comparison, prompts/cues, rewards, and a focus on past success were found in more than half of the systems. The monitors included a range of 5-10 of 14 total techniques identified from the research literature as potentially effective. Most of the monitors included goal-setting, self-monitoring, and feedback content that closely matched recommendations from social cognitive theory. Conclusions Electronic activity monitors contain a wide range of behavior change techniques typically used in clinical behavioral interventions. Thus, the monitors may represent a medium by which these interventions could be translated for widespread use. This technology has broad applications for use in clinical, public health, and rehabilitation settings.

Subfields: Applied Psychology, General Health Professions, Physiology

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Citations in the corpus

Systematic review of the validity and reliability of consumer-wearable activity trackers (2015, background): “The trackers enable self-monitoring towards daily or longer-term goals (such as a goal to walk a certain distance over time) and can be used to compare against one’s peers or a broader community of users, both of which are advantageous mediators to increasing walking and overall physical activity [3”
Smartphone Applications for Patients' Health and Fitness. (2016, background): “Activity monitoring apps typically include goal-setting, self-monitoring, and feedback content that closely matches recommendations from social cognitive theory.(31) One review of 57 popular physical activity apps noted that on average they included 5 behavior change interventions (range, 2-8), and ”
Physical Activity/Exercise and Diabetes: A Position Statement of the American Diabetes Association (2016, background): “…positive ﬁ ndings for pedometers are not universal (175), however, and some individuals may require greater support to realize bene ﬁ ts. Longer-term ef ﬁ cacy and determination of which populations can bene ﬁ t from pedometers and other wearable activity trackers (183) require further evaluation.”
Behavior Change Techniques Present in Wearable Activity Trackers: A Critical Analysis (2016, methodology): “Lyons et al [25] also found that wearable activity monitors contain a wide range of techniques that are typically used in clinical behavioral interventions and that the trackers are a medium by which these interventions may be translated into widespread use.”