JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Insufficient physical activity is associated with various health risks; however, most current physical activity interventions have critical barriers to scalability. Delivering interventions via technology and identifying active and inert components in early-phase development are ways to build more efficient and scalable interventions. We developed a novel intervention to promote physical activity that targets three brief guided thinking tasks (i.e., episodic future thinking [EFT], positive affective imagery [PAI], planning), separately and in combination, using brief audio-recordings.

Objective:

The aim of the GeT (Guided Thinking) Active study is to optimize a scalable guided thinking intervention to promote physical activity, using principles of the Multiphase Optimization Strategy (MOST). Mechanism-focused analyses will inform which components are optimal candidates for inclusion in an intervention package and which need refinement.

Methods:

We will enroll 192 participants randomized to receive intervention components delivered via an audio-recording that they will listen to prior to weekly in-lab physical activity sessions. Participants in the high dose conditions will also be instructed to listen to the audio-recording on four additional days during each week. We will evaluate effects of the components on physical activity over 6 weeks in a 2 (EFT vs. recent thinking) x 2 (PAI vs. neutral imagery) x 2 (Planning vs. no planning) x 2 (dose: 5x/week vs. 1x/week) full factorial randomized trial.

Results:

The National Cancer Institute funded this study (R21CA260360) on May 13, 2021. Participant recruitment began in February 2022. Data analysis will begin after the completion of data collection.

Conclusions:

The GeT Active study will result in a scalable, audio-recorded intervention that will accelerate progress toward the full development of guided thinking interventions to promote physical activity. Clinical Trial: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05235360