Testing Self-Control as a Behavior Change Mechanism to Increase Physical Activity

September 16, 2022 updated by: Margie Lachman, Brandeis University
The goal of this study is to test self-control as a behavior change mechanism for physical activity and to investigate whether a smartphone-based self-control intervention can increase physical activity among sedentary middle-aged adults.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

It is widely known that being physically active is beneficial for one's health and well-being, yet only a small percentage of adults engage in the recommended amounts of physical activity. Research has shown that health-damaging behaviors such as a sedentary lifestyle can be attributed in part to a lack of self-control. There is some evidence that self-control strategies can be improved with targeted interventions. The overall aim of the proposed study is to test self-control as a behavior change mechanism for physical activity and to investigate whether a smartphone-based self-control intervention can increase physical activity among sedentary middle-aged and older adults. To test the effect of this self-control intervention, participants will be randomized into two conditions: The self-control treatment group and the control group. Both groups will track their daily physical activity using a Fitbit step counter over eight weeks. Additionally, the self-control intervention group will receive a 7-week smartphone-based self-control intervention to learn strategies how to potentiate desirable impulses or weaken undesirable ones. It is expected that the self-control treatment group will show greater increases in physical activity and that changes will last longer compared to the control group. Self-control is expected to mediate the relationship between condition and physical activity. It is predicted that the self-control treatment group will show greater changes in self-control compared to the control group and that people who increase more in self-control also increase more in their physical activity. Two versions of the MindHike smartphone application will be used to communicate with all participants. The self-control treatment group will receive a version delivering a self-control intervention. The control group will receive a minimal version without the interventional components. Both groups are matched in terms of contact frequency.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
81

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Early Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Massachusetts
      • Waltham, Massachusetts, United States, 02454
        • Brandeis University

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

35 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • between 35-65 years of age
  • fluent in English
  • fit enough to walk for at least 20 min at a time
  • owns a smartphone

Exclusion Criteria:

  • experienced a fall or heart problem/condition in the last 6 months
  • is currently participating in an exercise program to increase physical activity
  • is already physically active (physically active = exercise regularly 3 times per week, or more for at least 30min)
  • was advised by a doctor to not walk due to health conditions

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Basic Science
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Self-control treatment group
The self-control treatment group will wear a Fitbit step counter across 8 weeks. In addition, they will use the MindHike smartphone application across 8 weeks. Each day, the app sends the a reminder to wear the Fitbit as well as a short interventional input targeting self-control.
Behavioral: Self-control intervention
Participants will wear a Fitbit for 8 weeks to record their daily activity data. The first week of the study will provide a baseline measurement of activity. Across the 8 weeks, participants receive daily reminders to wear their Fitbit. After the baseline week, participants will also receive interventional components that target self-control via the smartphone application MindHike. This intervention should help them achieve their activity goals. The self-control intervention teaches strategies how to potentiate desirable impulses and how to avoid undesirable impulses in daily life.
Active Comparator: Control group
The control group will wear a Fitbit step counter across 8 weeks. In addition, they will use the MindHike smartphone application across 8 weeks. Each day, the app sends the a reminder to wear the Fitbit.
Behavioral: Control condition
Participants will wear a Fitbit for 8 weeks to record their daily activity data. The first week of the study will provide a baseline measurement of activity. Participants in this condition receive daily reminders to wear their Fitbit through the MindHike smartphone application. Participants in the control group will be matched with the self-control intervention group for how much contact they have with the app and the researchers.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Objective Physical Activity
Time Frame: Average daily steps baseline week (week 1); average daily steps between pretest and posttest (week 2-8); average daily steps between posttest and followup (week 9-12)
Average daily steps baseline week, average daily steps between pretest and posttest, and average daily steps between posttest and followup. A higher score means more steps.
Average daily steps baseline week (week 1); average daily steps between pretest and posttest (week 2-8); average daily steps between posttest and followup (week 9-12)
Self-Reported Physical Activity
Time Frame: Baseline (Pretest) T1, Week 8 (Posttest) T2, Week 12 (Follow-up) T3
International Physical Activity Questionnaire - short version. A continuous score will be calculated expressed as MET (Metabolic Equivalents) minutes per week: Total MET-min/week = (Walk METs*min*days) + (Mod METs*min*days) + Vig METs*min*days). A higher score means higher level of physical activity.
Baseline (Pretest) T1, Week 8 (Posttest) T2, Week 12 (Follow-up) T3
Self-Control
Time Frame: Baseline (Pretest) T1, Week 8 (Posttest) T2, Week 12 (Follow-up) T3
The Brief Self-Control Scale was used to measure self-control. Items are assessed from 1 (not at all) to 5 (very much). A mean across all items will be calculated. A higher score means a higher score in self-control.
Baseline (Pretest) T1, Week 8 (Posttest) T2, Week 12 (Follow-up) T3
Weekly Self-Control
Time Frame: Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7
The Brief Self-Control Scale was used to measure weekly self-control. Items are assessed from 1 (not at all) to 5 (very much). A mean across all items will be calculated. A higher score means a higher score in self-control. Participants were asked to answer the items with respect to the last week.
Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Big Five Personality Traits
Time Frame: Baseline (Pretest) T1, Week 8 (Posttest) T2, Week 12 (Follow-up) T3
The Big Five Inventory 2 was used to assess the Big Five personality traits. Items are assessed from 1 (disagree strongly) to 5 (agree strongly). A mean across all items per personality trait will be calculated. A higher score means a higher score on a personality trait.
Baseline (Pretest) T1, Week 8 (Posttest) T2, Week 12 (Follow-up) T3
Exercise Self-efficacy
Time Frame: Baseline (Pretest) T1, Week 8 (Posttest) T2, Week 12 (Follow-up) T3
Nine items were used to assess how sure participants are that they will exercise under certain circumstances (e.g., when you are feeling under pressure or when you are away from home). Items were assessed from 1 (very sure) to 4 (not at all sure). A mean across all items will be calculated. A higher score means lower exercise self-efficacy.
Baseline (Pretest) T1, Week 8 (Posttest) T2, Week 12 (Follow-up) T3
Satisfaction With Life
Time Frame: Baseline (Pretest) T1, Week 8 (Posttest) T2, Week 12 (Follow-up) T3
The Satisfaction with life scale was used to assess satisfaction with life. Items were assessed from 1 (disagree strongly) to 7 (agree strongly). A mean across all items will be calculated. A higher score means a higher satisfaction with life.
Baseline (Pretest) T1, Week 8 (Posttest) T2, Week 12 (Follow-up) T3
Sense of Control
Time Frame: Baseline (Pretest) T1, Week 8 (Posttest) T2, Week 12 (Follow-up) T3
12 items were used to assess sense of control. The scale consisted of two subscales: personal mastery (e.g., I can do just about anything I really set my mind to) and perceived constraints (e.g., What happens in my life is often beyond my control). All items were rated on a scale ranging from strongly agree (1) to strongly disagree (7). All items were coded so that a higher score reflected greater personal mastery and greater perceived constraints, respectively.
Baseline (Pretest) T1, Week 8 (Posttest) T2, Week 12 (Follow-up) T3
Stop & Go Switch Task
Time Frame: Baseline (Pretest) T1, Week 8 (Posttest) T2, Week 12 (Follow-up) T3
To measure attention switching and inhibitory control, we used the newly developed online app version of the Stop & Go Switch Task (SGST). The SGST requires alternating between the "normal" condition (i.e., respond "Go" to the stimulus "Green" and "Stop" to the stimulus "Red") and the "reverse" condition (i.e., respond "Stop" to the stimulus "Green" and "Go" to the stimulus "Red"). For the SGST, the total number of correct responses across the mixed trials were calculated. Total range: 0 - 32. A higher score means a better outcome.
Baseline (Pretest) T1, Week 8 (Posttest) T2, Week 12 (Follow-up) T3
Backward Digit Span Test
Time Frame: Baseline (Pretest) T1, Week 8 (Posttest) T2, Week 12 (Follow-up) T3
To measure working memory capacity, we used the backward digit span test from the WAIS-III. The task includes increasingly longer series of digits, ranging from two to eight digits. Participants attempt to repeat them in the reverse order from which they were shown. The score is the longest string that is repeated exactly in reverse order. Digits are presented at a rate of one per second, beginning with a set size of two digits and progressing to eight digits. The accuracy score is the largest set size that was correctly reproduced. Possible range: 0 - 8. A higher score means a better outcome.
Baseline (Pretest) T1, Week 8 (Posttest) T2, Week 12 (Follow-up) T3
Immediate Word List Recall Task
Time Frame: Baseline (Pretest) T1, Week 8 (Posttest) T2, Week 12 (Follow-up) T3
Immediate episodic memory for verbal materials are tested using free recall of a word list drawn from the Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test. Participants are instructed to read carefully a list of 15 words which are presented at a rate of one second per word, and then to recall as many words as possible. In scoring the accuracy measure, one point is given for each correct response. Possible range: 0 - 15. A higher score means a better outcome.
Baseline (Pretest) T1, Week 8 (Posttest) T2, Week 12 (Follow-up) T3

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Brandeis University

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
National Institute on Aging (NIA)

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Margie Lachman, PhD, Brandeis University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
October 15, 2020

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
August 31, 2021

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
January 30, 2022

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
August 12, 2020

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 18, 2020

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
August 21, 2020

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
October 13, 2022

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 16, 2022

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
September 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 20100R
  • 5P30AG048785 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

No

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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