Status quo bias refers to the cognitive bias that leads individuals to prefer things to remain the same rather than change. This preference for the current state of affairs can lead people to stick wi...

AbstractImportance. Physical activity can improve clinical outcomes among people with neurological conditions; however, people with these conditions rarely

Discover the hidden science of transforming intentions into reality, exploring how small daily cues can unlock powerful personal change and breakthrough persistent habits.

Sustainability challenges, such as transitioning to a circular economy, require people to engage in sustainable behaviors. Yet, current systems often …

Background: Testimonials from credible sources are an evidence-based strategy for behavior change. Behavioral health interventions have used testimonials to promote health behaviors (e.g., physical activity, healthy eating). Integrating testimonials into eating disorder (ED) interventions poses a nuanced challenge because ED testimonials can promote ED behaviors. Testimonials in ED interventions must therefore be designed carefully. Some optimal design elements of testimonials are known, but questions remain about testimonial speakers, messaging, and delivery, especially for ED interventions. Objective: We sought to learn how to design and deliver testimonials focused on positive behavior change strategies within our multi-session digital binge eating intervention. Methods: We applied human-centered design methods to learn users’ preferences for testimonial speakers, messaging, and delivery (modalities, over time, and as “nudges” for selecting positive behavior change strategies they could practice). We recruited target users of our multi-session intervention to complete design sessions. Adults (N=22, 64% self-identified as female; 32% as non-Hispanic Black, 41% as non-Hispanic White, 27% as Hispanic) with recurrent binge eating and obesity completed individual interviews. Data were analyzed using methods from thematic analysis. Results: Most participants preferred designs with testimonials (versus without) for their motivation and validation of the intervention’s efficacy. A few distrusted testimonials for appearing too “commercial” or personally irrelevant. For speakers, participants preferred sociodemographically tailored testimonials and were willing to report personal data in the intervention to facilitate tailoring. For messaging, some preferred testimonials with “how-to” advice, whereas others preferred “big picture” success stories. For delivery interface, participants were interested in text, video, and multimedia testimonials. For delivery over time, participants preferred testimonials from new speakers to promote engagement. When the intervention allows users to choose between actions (e.g., behavioral strategies), participants preferred testimonials be available across all actions, but said that selectively delivering a testimonial with one action could “nudge” them to select it. Conclusions: Results indicated that intervention users were interested in testimonials. While participants preferred sociodemographically tailored testimonials, they said different characteristics mattered to them, indicating that interventions should assess users’ most pertinent identities and tailor testimonials accordingly. Likewise, users’ divided preferences for testimonial messaging (i.e., “big picture” versus “how-to”) suggest that optimal messaging may differ by user. To improve the credibility of testimonials, which some participants distrusted, interventions could invite current users to submit testimonials for future integration in the intervention. Aligned with nudge theory, our findings indicate testimonials could be used as “nudges” within interventions—a ripe area for further inquiry—though future work should test if delivering a testimonial only with the nudged choice improves its uptake. Further research is needed to validate these design ideas in practice, including evaluating their impact on behavior change toward improving ED behaviors.

Background: Excessive alcohol use is associated with significant harms, with wide-ranging social and economic impacts. Efforts to prevent and reduce the harmful use of alcohol are a public health priority. Smartphone apps have potential to provide…

I dive into a hot take on the new 'Ocean' film, fronted by David Attenborough. Does it stack up against the EAST behaviour change model?

Background: Fatigue is a highly prevalent and debilitating symptom of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), significantly affecting the quality of life and employment of those living with the disease. Non-pharmacologic approaches, such as physical activity interventions, have shown promise in reducing fatigue, but are often resource-intensive and lack grounding in behavior change theory. Mobile health (mHealth) technology offers a scalable approach to delivering behavioral interventions. Objective: This study describes the development of an mHealth application (app), grounded in behavior change theory, to support fatigue self-management in individuals with SLE by promoting physical activity. Methods: We employed a human-centered design (HCD) approach to develop an mHealth app grounded in the self-determination theory of motivation and the social cognitive theory of behavior change. The process included two phases: (1) Inspiration and (2) Ideation. In the Inspiration phase, key user needs were identified from the input of 12 adults with SLE who took part in two focus groups. During the Ideation phase, a prototype was developed and iteratively refined based on feedback from 12 adults with SLE who participated in multiple rounds of semi-structured interviews and surveys. Results: In the Inspiration phase, key priorities for the mHealth intervention were identified, including symptom tracking (fatigue, pain, sleep, and physical activity), reliable educational content, social connection, and reminders. In the Ideation phase, a prototype was developed based on these findings and refined through two rounds of user feedback interviews. Eighty percent of interviewees reported they were likely or highly likely to use the app. Several themes around preferences for the app emerged from the interviews, including the importance of: 1) community/social connection; 2) accessibility and inclusion, 3) options for customization; 4) integration of the app with existing digital health tools, and 4) notifications for reminders and motivational messages. Conclusions: Using an HCD approach, we developed an mHealth app tailored to the needs of individuals with SLE, integrating behavior change theory to support fatigue self-management. Through engagement with end users, we iteratively refined the app to address key priorities and enhance #usability. This study demonstrates the #feasibility of using HCD to develop an mHealth app grounded in behavior change theory, and provides a framework for creating rigorous digital health interventions for individuals with SLE and other chronic conditions.

University of Alberta: Careers@UAlberta.ca