Motivation for Exercise: A Mood-Based Focus

November 25, 2025 updated by: Michael Otto, Boston University Charles River Campus
The goal of this study is to assess the effects of an exercise-related video on exercise motivation and adherence. Specifically, the researchers are studying whether an exercise-for-mood video increase levels of exercise motivation as compared to an exercise-for-fitness video.

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

This study is designed to evaluate two interventions for exercise motivation: an exercise-for-mood video and an exercise-for-fitness video. After screening to determine eligibility, participants will complete two virtual study appointments, scheduled 10-20 days apart. In Phase 1, participants will first consent to the study and complete the DASS-21, ASI-3, and EMI-2. Participants will then complete an interview-format 7-day Physical Activity Recall (7-day PAR) about their exercise over the past week. Participants are then randomized to either the Fitness or Mood video by the researcher and are assigned to watch the video while on the Zoom meeting, approximately 11 minutes long. After the video, participants complete two short questionnaires about the credibility and usefulness of the video they watched. Finally, participants are briefed on safe exercise habits and given a goal of moderate exercise 4 times per week.

In the Phase 2 appointment, participants complete the EMI-2 and the 7-day PAR about their exercise over the past week. Participants are then debriefed on the intent of the study.

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.
48

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.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

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

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.
  • Name: Michael W Otto
  • Phone Number: 617-353-9610
  • Email: mwotto@bu.edu

Study Contact Backup

  • Name: Emilie G Huber
  • Phone Number: 574-383-6640
  • Email: emhuber@bu.edu

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Massachusetts
      • Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02215
        • Boston 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

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • At least 18 years of age
  • Current PS101 student at Boston University
  • A score of 14 or higher on the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)
  • Able to read English to provide informed consent
  • Familiarity with a computer keyboard and mouse or a touch screen device
  • Access to Zoom video conferencing software

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Under age 18
  • Known conditions prohibiting exercise adoption as identified by risk scores on the PAR-Q (a score of "yes" on one or more items)
  • Presence of anorexia nervosa or atypical anorexia nervosa, or recent (6 month) suicidal ideation
  • Score of 13 or lower on the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)

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: Treatment
  • 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: Exercise for Mood video
The Exercise for Mood intervention is an approximately 11-minute video shown to participants which presents a mood-based motivational frame for exercise and physical activity. Video content focuses on discussions related to the immediate mood benefits from exercise, longer-term cognitive and mental health benefits of exercise, effects of positive affect during exercise, and mood-centered strategies for engaging in regular physical activity, including exercising in diverse locations, exercising with friends, and exercising with music or audiobooks.
Other: Exercise for Mood video
As per arm of the same name
Active Comparator: Exercise for Fitness video
The Exercise for Fitness intervention is an approximately 11-minute video shown to participants which presents a fitness-based motivational frame for exercise and physical activity. Video content focuses on discussions related to the physical health effects of exercise, including cardiovascular health, increased calorie burning, and overall physical wellbeing. The video also includes recommendations for diversity of exercise, balancing cardiovascular and strength-training activities.
Other: Exercise for Fitness video
As per arm of the same name

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
Exercise Motivation
Time Frame: Assessed at Phase 1 appointment and Phase 2 appointment, scheduled 10-20 days apart.
Exercise Motivations Inventory (EMI-2)
Assessed at Phase 1 appointment and Phase 2 appointment, scheduled 10-20 days apart.

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
Exercise adherence
Time Frame: Retrospective accounting of the past 7 days, assessed at Phase 1 appointment and Phase 2 appointment, scheduled 10-20 days apart.
Adherence to an exercise goal of moderate-intensity exercise 4 times per week. Evaluated using the 7-day Physical Activity Recall (7-day PAR).
Retrospective accounting of the past 7 days, assessed at Phase 1 appointment and Phase 2 appointment, scheduled 10-20 days apart.
Mood During Exercise
Time Frame: Assessed at Phase 1 appointment and Phase 2 appointment, scheduled 10-20 days apart
Mood during most typical, intentional physical activity over the past week, evaluated on the Feeling Scale (FS)
Assessed at Phase 1 appointment and Phase 2 appointment, scheduled 10-20 days apart
Perceived Exertion during Exercise
Time Frame: Assessed at Phase 1 appointment and Phase 2 appointment, scheduled 10-20 days apart
Exertion during most typical, intentional physical activity over the past week, evaluated on the Ratings of Perceived Exertion scale (RPE)
Assessed at Phase 1 appointment and Phase 2 appointment, scheduled 10-20 days apart

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.
Boston University Charles River Campus

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, 2024

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.
March 17, 2025

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.
March 17, 2025

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).
November 21, 2024

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.
November 22, 2024

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.
November 26, 2024

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.
December 2, 2025

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.
November 25, 2025

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.
November 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

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.
  • 7628E

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

After publication of primary aims, de-identified data will be eligible for sharing with investigators requesting such data after completion of a valid data-use agreement.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

6 months after publication of the primary outcome.

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

Investigators with a valid data-use agreement will be able to access the data.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

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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