Text Messages and Physical Activity Among Teens

Sponsor

Baylor College of Medicine (Other)

Overall Status

Completed

CT.gov ID

NCT01482234

Collaborator

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) (NIH)

160

Enrollment

Location

Arms

Duration (Months)

7.3

Patients Per Site Per Month

Study Details

Study Description

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to assess whether text messages can be used as a way to increase the amount of physical activity teens get each day.

Condition or Disease	Intervention/Treatment	Phase
Physical Activity	Behavioral: TXT Me	N/A

Detailed Description

This research will develop an innovative intervention that promotes physical activity to 14-17 year olds (roughly high school aged youth). It is guided by Self Determination Theory and seeks to enhance adolescents' feelings of physical activity autonomy, competence, and relatedness, key psychological needs related to motivation to be physically active. The physical activity to be promoted is walking, which has broad appeal and can be performed as part of usual-day activities. Since youth are heavy users of cell phones and texting, the intervention will send theoretically-grounded text messages designed to enhance physical activity.

Study Design

Study Type:

Interventional

Actual Enrollment :

160 participants

Allocation:

Randomized

Intervention Model:

Factorial Assignment

Masking:

None (Open Label)

Primary Purpose:

Prevention

Official Title:

TXT Me: Texting Motivational Messages Encouraging Adolescent Physical Activity

Study Start Date :

Feb 1, 2012

Actual Primary Completion Date :

Aug 1, 2013

Actual Study Completion Date :

Dec 1, 2013

Arms and Interventions

Arm	Intervention/Treatment
Experimental: pedometers only Participants randomized to this arm will receive pedometers only. They will participate in baseline and 3 months data collection.	Behavioral: TXT Me text messages, physical activity, self determination theory, extrinsic motivation, intrinsic motivation, pedometers, walking, prompts
Experimental: pedometers + prompts Participants randomized to this arm will receive pedometers plus a weekly prompt to set a step goal. They will participate in baseline and 3 months data collection.	Behavioral: TXT Me text messages, physical activity, self determination theory, extrinsic motivation, intrinsic motivation, pedometers, walking, prompts
Experimental: pedometer + prompt + messages Participants randomized to this arm will receive pedometers, weekly prompts, and 6 motivational text messages a week. They will participate in baseline and 3 months data collection.	Behavioral: TXT Me text messages, physical activity, self determination theory, extrinsic motivation, intrinsic motivation, pedometers, walking, prompts
No Intervention: Control Participants randomized to this group will participate in data collection only; they will not receive an intervention.

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

physical activity [3 months]
physical activity will be assessed for 7 days at each data collection period; accelerometers will be used to assess physical activity amount and intensity

Secondary Outcome Measures

Psychological need satisfaction in exercise [3 months]
This scale will be used to assess psychological needs related to exercise - autonomy, relatedness, and competence
Behavioral Regulation in Exercise [3 months]
This scale will be used to assess motivation for exercise
Satisfaction [3 months]
Satisfaction with the study will be assessed using standard questions