Positive Psychology for Physical Activity Promotion (PPPA)

Brown University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Physical Activity; Obesity

Treatments: Behavioral: PA; Behavioral: PPPA

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT03826173

1R21CA224609-01A1 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study is for physically inactive adults. Participants will be enrolled in the Positive Psychology and Physical Activity intervention designed to help them overcome barriers to physical activity, based on the principals of positive psychology.

This will involve six weekly one-hour group-based sessions at a local YMCA with a trained group leader. In addition to the in-person sessions, there will be text messages sent to participants about physical activity that include positive psychology content.

Full description

The investigators propose to conduct a pilot study to test feasibility and proof-of-concept for a positive psychology intervention program to promote exercise among low-active overweight and obese adults. The program will be (a) a 6-week, group-based intervention, (b) delivered at local YMCAs, and (c) supplemented with text messaging. In an additive design, participants will be randomized in a 2:1 ratio to PPPA (n = 40) versus a control intervention (n = 20) including only the standard PA promotion components of the PPPA intervention (i.e., PA education, self-monitoring, and goal-setting), with equal frequency of staff contact and text message delivery. All participants will be followed for 3 months, and will receive a 3-month YMCA membership to equate access to PA facilities. As a secondary aim the investigators will examine effect sizes for PPPA versus the standard PA intervention on putative mediators that may underlie the efficacy of PPPA in improving PA outcomes, including positive and negative affect, optimism, happiness, life satisfaction, social support for PA, and PA enjoyment. The proposed research will set the stage for an RCT to test a novel PA promotion intervention that can be readily disseminated.

Enrollment: 54 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Sedentary or low-active, (defined as < 60 min/week of structured physical activity)
• Able to receive and respond to a text message at the time of screening

Exclusion criteria

• History of coronary artery disease
• History of stroke
• History of uncontrolled hypertension
• History of asthma
• History of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• History of diabetes
• History of osteoarthritis or orthopedic problems that limit physical activity
• BMI greater than 40

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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54 participants in 2 patient groups

Positive Psychology

Experimental group

Description:

On a weekly basis, participants will engage in group-based intervention sessions that focus on personal strengths and the value of positive emotions and cognitions. Participants will receive daily text-messages addressing the content introduced during group sessions.

Treatment:

Behavioral: PPPA

Physical Activity Promotion

Active Comparator group

Description:

On a weekly basis, participants will engage in group-based intervention sessions that focus on the standard physical activity promotion components of the PPPA condition. Participants will receive daily text-messages addressing the content introduced during group sessions.

Treatment:

Behavioral: PA