Abstracts Category : Other

Plan Quality and the Enhancement of Implementation IntentionInterventions for Physical Activity

by Scout M Kelly

Implementation intentions (IIs) are specific plansmade in the form of if-then contingencies and have been shown tobe effective in promoting goal progress across a wide variety ofbehaviors. However, IIs are not equally effective for allindividuals, and recent research indicates that a large proportionof individuals fail to make high quality plans during IIinterventions. The present study tested whether plan quality couldbe improved with a short online training activity and whetherpairing an II intervention with this short online training wouldpromote greater physical activity than a traditional IIintervention or an information-only control. The sample wascomprised of 197 college students who participated in a baselinelab session and were randomly assigned to one of three conditions(i.e., information-only, traditional II, or II plus training).Participants self-reported physical activity one and two weekspost-baseline, and a subset of the larger sample woreaccelerometers to objectively measure physical activity. Resultsfrom the study suggest that the short online training module didimprove plan quality, but that neither planning intervention (i.e.,traditional II or II plus training) led to greater moderate andvigorous physical activity compared to the information-onlycontrol. Improvements to action plans and coping plans appeared tohave opposing effects on physical activity, with coping planquality promoting physical activity, and action plan qualityinhibiting it. Thus, while online training modules may provide aviable platform for improving plan quality, additional research isneeded to understand how to optimize plan quality interventions forpositive behavioral impact.Advisors/Committee Members: Updegraff, John (Advisor).