JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Digital health interventions using Behaviour Change Techniques (BCTs) show promise in addressing adolescent health behaviours, but evidence of their effectiveness across health behaviour domains remains fragmented and poorly summarised.

Objective:

This systematic umbrella review synthesised evidence from existing systematic reviews on the effectiveness of BCTs within digital health interventions targeting key adolescent health behaviour domains: alcohol consumption, tobacco use, physical activity, dietary habits, and obesity management.

Methods:

We systematically searched PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, and CINAHL in April 2024 for reviews of digital interventions for adolescents (10-19 years). We coded all identified BCTs using the BCT Taxonomy v1 (BCTTv1). Data on BCT effectiveness, intervention characteristics, and review quality (AMSTAR-2) were extracted and narratively synthesised.

Results:

Twenty-one reviews, comprising 224,135 participants, were included. These examined digital interventions targeting physical activity (7 reviews), dietary habits (3 reviews), alcohol consumption (2 reviews), combined alcohol and nicotine use (1 review), and obesity management (1 review), with an additional 7 reviews covering multiple health behaviours. Across reviews, 62% (13/21) reported statistically significant positive effects on at least one health behaviour outcome. "Social support (unspecified)" was the most consistently adopted and effective BCT, especially with parental/peer involvement. The combination of "self-monitoring," "goal setting," and "feedback" also commonly appeared in successful interventions. Intervention effectiveness appeared linked to strategic BCT selection and individualization rather than the total number of techniques. Methodological quality of included reviews was predominantly low, with only two rated moderate-to-high.

Conclusions:

This umbrella review identified "social support (unspecified)" as a consistently effective BCT across multiple adolescent health behaviour domains, particularly with parental/peer involvement. Intervention success appears linked to targeted and individualised BCT use. Future research should prioritise clarifying the specific components and delivery methods of effective social support, rigorously evaluating BCT configurations in under-explored areas such as adolescent smoking cessation, and examining their long-term impact on behaviour change.