Michelle Symons, Heidi Vandebosch, Clara Alida Cutello, Karolien Poels

Message Reminders Encouraging Brisk Walking by Considering the Dynamic Factor of Cognitive Fatigue

Introduction

Message reminders encouraging brisk walking by considering the dynamic factor of cognitive fatigue. Explore effective smartphone reminders for brisk walking, considering cognitive fatigue. Discover which message formats (GIFs, text, pictures) and content (humor) best promote physical activity, even when fatigued. Essential for just-in-time adaptive interventions.

Abstract

Physical inactivity and sedentary behaviours are leading risk factors for preventable health problems worldwide. Therefore, several smartphone-based interventions have tried to enhance physical activity (PA) through goal reminders based on relatively stable characteristics. However, time-varying factors, such as cognitive fatigue, may act as barriers to engagement in PA. This study aims to unravel what type of goal reminder messages are effective for enhancing PA in situations of cognitive fatigue. First, using a 3 x 3 between-subjects design, we evaluated the effectiveness of goal reminders matched with real-time goals under different levels of cognitive fatigue. This study did not find evidence that the tested goal reminders, intended to be adapted to the real-time goals of the participants, were more effective in promoting PA than goal reminders not adapted to individuals’ real-time goals. Second, to better understand how to design future reminders, two questions explored what format and what content participants considered to be helpful when feeling cognitively fatigued. Results show that GIFs, textual reminders, and pictures are suitable formats in smartphone-based interventions and that humorous content is preferred when feeling cognitively fatigued. These findings contribute to the development of just-in-time adaptive interventions that consider dynamic factors to promote PA.

Review

This study tackles the highly relevant public health challenge of physical inactivity by exploring a nuanced and often overlooked barrier: cognitive fatigue. Moving beyond static intervention models, the authors set out to determine the effectiveness of goal reminder messages for promoting physical activity (PA) when individuals are cognitively fatigued. The initial experimental design, a 3x3 between-subjects evaluation of real-time goal-matched reminders, demonstrates an ambitious attempt to integrate dynamic factors into intervention design, signaling a commitment to developing more adaptive and personalized health interventions. The findings from the initial experimental phase present a significant, albeit null, result. The study found no evidence that goal reminders adapted to participants' real-time goals were more effective in promoting PA compared to non-adapted reminders. This outcome is crucial as it challenges common assumptions about the inherent superiority of real-time adaptation in all contexts, prompting further inquiry into the conditions under which such adaptations are truly beneficial. Following this, the research pivots to an exploratory phase, investigating participant preferences for reminder formats and content when fatigued. This part of the study yielded actionable insights: GIFs, textual reminders, and pictures were identified as suitable formats, with a notable preference for humorous content during periods of cognitive fatigue. Overall, this work makes a valuable contribution to the development of just-in-time adaptive interventions (JITAIs) by specifically addressing the complex interplay between cognitive state and intervention effectiveness. The practical recommendations regarding preferred formats and humorous content offer immediate, usable guidance for designers of smartphone-based PA interventions targeting individuals experiencing fatigue. However, for future research, it would be beneficial to explore the underlying reasons for the null finding in the initial experiment. Was it an issue with the fidelity of the real-time goal adaptation, the strength of the intervention, or the measurement of PA? Furthermore, while participant preferences are informative, experimentally validating whether these preferred formats and humorous content actually translate into increased behavioral engagement during fatigue would be a critical next step to bridge the gap between perceived helpfulness and objective impact.

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