Health benefits of physical activity are undeniable and supported by an enormous corpus of research that is continuously growing. The practice of regular physical exercise is a protective factor against non-communicable diseases and premature mortality, and it is associated with an improved physical and psychological wellbeing. However, in spite of that, large part of the population doesn’t meet physical activity guidelines and many individuals live a sedentary life. As a consequence, there is an overwhelming need for finding effective strategies to support and sustain physical activity among sedentary people. With this aim, in the last recent years, healthcare practitioners and institutions started to benefit from new technologies for promoting physical activity behaviour change. Indeed, rapid technological progresses and the widespread adoption of smartphones have open the way to the development of digital behaviour change interventions, such as smartphone applications (apps), oriented to promote physical activity. There are several technological advantages that can be exploited in order to deliver more effective interventions. For instance, mobile technologies enable to reach large population groups, to assess users’ behaviour in a more efficient way, and to develop computational models based on behaviour change theories. This last point is particularly relevant since it permits to investigate the causes of physical activity by including validating applications of theoretical models and using theory-derived constructs in identifying modifiable factors that may influence the behaviour. In addition to adopt such a theory-driven approach, it has been argued that a deep understanding of the intended users’ needs and perspectives assumes a fundamental relevance in ensuring that digital interventions are usable and engaging. The present thesis addressed the issue of physical activity behaviour change from a twofold perspective. Specifically, in order to get meaningful insights for developing physical activity behaviour change interventions, the first part of this thesis focused on organised sport context in order to explore dispositional and social-cognitive factors associated with sport participation, success, and performance. Results suggested that differences in Big-five personality traits are associated with participation and athletic success in organized sports. Furthermore, self-efficacy beliefs emerged as a predictor of performance in different sport settings. In the second part of the thesis, the focus was moved on the development of a smartphone application, called Muoviti!, aiming to promote physical activity among sedentary adults. Specifically, we described the development of the computational model of Muoviti! framed in Bandura’s self-efficacy theory. Furthermore, we investigated what and why behaviour change techniques and design features deserve to be implemented in Muoviti! in order to support physical activity and users’ engagement with the digital intervention. Results indicated that potential users of Muoviti! are mainly oriented to practice physical activity in order to improve their fitness. They reported preferences for design features that support self-regulation skills (e.g., goal setting, feedback) and that focus on health-related behavioural outcomes, such as a better cardiovascular fitness and weight loss. Additionally, they expressed a discomfort about sharing personal achievements with other people, however they manifested a preference for features that supply human support. Finally, a crucial point that came up is represented by the users’ interest into a physical activity app that is able to understand the user and, consequently, adapts the intervention to contextual circumstances and to behavioural and psychological states.

I benefici dell’attività fisica sulla salute sono molteplici e confermati da un numero sempre maggiore di evidenze scientifiche. La pratica di regolare attività fisica è un fattore di protezione contro le malattie non trasmissibili e la mortalità prematura; inoltre è associata ad una migliore condizione di benessere fisico e mentale. Tuttavia, nonostante ciò, gran parte della popolazione non rispetta le linee guida in termini di prevenzione e conduce una vita sedentaria. Per questo motivo, è evidente la necessità di trovare nuove ed efficaci strategie per promuovere l’attività fisica tra le persone sedentarie. Negli ultimi anni, ricercatori e istituzioni che si occupano di salute pubblica e prevenzione hanno iniziato ad utilizzare le nuove tecnologie per promuovere l’attività fisica. Infatti, il rapido avanzamento tecnologico e la diffusione degli smartphone ha aperto la strada allo sviluppo di app finalizzate alla promozione dell’attività fisica. Sono molteplici i vantaggi della nuova tecnologia che possono essere sfruttati per sviluppare interventi maggiormente efficaci rispetto a quelli tradizionali. Per esempio, le tecnologie mobile permettono di raggiungere larghe fasce di popolazione, di misurare il comportamento degli utenti in modo più efficiente e di sviluppare modelli computazionali di teorie di cambiamento comportamentale. Quest’ultimo punto è particolarmente rilevante in quanto, grazie all’utilizzo di modelli teorici e dei rispettivi costrutti, è possibile identificare i fattori modificabili che influenzano il comportamento di attività fisica e, di conseguenza, intervenire su di essi. Oltre a questo approccio theory-driven, è stato proposto che una comprensione profonda dei bisogni, motivazioni e prospettive degli utenti finali assume una rilevanza fondamentale per garantire che l’intervento sia utilizzabile e coinvolgente. Questa tesi, adottando una duplice prospettiva, si occupa della questione riguardante la promozione dell’attività fisica. Nello specifico, la prima parte della tesi si focalizza sul contesto degli sport organizzati e indaga i fattori disposizionali e social-cognitivi associati alla partecipazione, successo e performance in ambito sportivo. I risultati suggeriscono che differenze nei Big-five sono associate alla partecipazione sportiva e al successo atletico, mentre le convinzioni di autoefficacia rappresentano un predittore della performance in vari contesti sportivi. Nella seconda parte della tesi, viene presentato lo sviluppo di un’app per smartphone, Muoviti!, finalizzata alla promozione dell’attività fisica tra adulti sedentari. Nello specifico, viene descritto lo sviluppo del modello computazionale di Muoviti!, basato sulla teoria dell’autoefficacia di Bandura. Inoltre, si affronta il problema riguardante l’individuazione delle tecniche di cambiamento comportamentale e delle funzionalità che meritano di essere implementate in Muoviti! al fine di promuovere l’attività fisica e il coinvolgimento degli utenti con l’app. I risultati indicano che i potenziali utenti di Muoviti! sono motivati a fare attività fisica principalmente per migliorare il loro livello di fitness e la loro salute. Inoltre, riportano di preferire le funzionalità che supportano le loro capacità di auto-regolazione e che si focalizzano sugli effetti dell’attività fisica sulla salute. Viene messo in evidenza il fatto che i potenziali utenti non sono intenzionati a condividere la loro attività fisica tramite social network, tuttavia sono interessati alle funzionalità che favoriscono la ricezione di supporto sociale. Infine, un ulteriore punto cruciale riguarda l’interesse degli utenti nell’interagire con un’app che comprenda l’utente stesso e che, di conseguenza, adatti l’intervento alle circostanze contestuali e agli stati psicologici e comportamentali.

(2018). FROM SPORT PERFORMANCE TO DIGITAL HEALTH: UNDERSTANDING KEY PSYCHOLOGICAL VARIABLES FOR DEVELOPING A PHYSICAL ACTIVITY APP. (Tesi di dottorato, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, 2018).

FROM SPORT PERFORMANCE TO DIGITAL HEALTH: UNDERSTANDING KEY PSYCHOLOGICAL VARIABLES FOR DEVELOPING A PHYSICAL ACTIVITY APP

BARETTA, DARIO
2018

Abstract

Health benefits of physical activity are undeniable and supported by an enormous corpus of research that is continuously growing. The practice of regular physical exercise is a protective factor against non-communicable diseases and premature mortality, and it is associated with an improved physical and psychological wellbeing. However, in spite of that, large part of the population doesn’t meet physical activity guidelines and many individuals live a sedentary life. As a consequence, there is an overwhelming need for finding effective strategies to support and sustain physical activity among sedentary people. With this aim, in the last recent years, healthcare practitioners and institutions started to benefit from new technologies for promoting physical activity behaviour change. Indeed, rapid technological progresses and the widespread adoption of smartphones have open the way to the development of digital behaviour change interventions, such as smartphone applications (apps), oriented to promote physical activity. There are several technological advantages that can be exploited in order to deliver more effective interventions. For instance, mobile technologies enable to reach large population groups, to assess users’ behaviour in a more efficient way, and to develop computational models based on behaviour change theories. This last point is particularly relevant since it permits to investigate the causes of physical activity by including validating applications of theoretical models and using theory-derived constructs in identifying modifiable factors that may influence the behaviour. In addition to adopt such a theory-driven approach, it has been argued that a deep understanding of the intended users’ needs and perspectives assumes a fundamental relevance in ensuring that digital interventions are usable and engaging. The present thesis addressed the issue of physical activity behaviour change from a twofold perspective. Specifically, in order to get meaningful insights for developing physical activity behaviour change interventions, the first part of this thesis focused on organised sport context in order to explore dispositional and social-cognitive factors associated with sport participation, success, and performance. Results suggested that differences in Big-five personality traits are associated with participation and athletic success in organized sports. Furthermore, self-efficacy beliefs emerged as a predictor of performance in different sport settings. In the second part of the thesis, the focus was moved on the development of a smartphone application, called Muoviti!, aiming to promote physical activity among sedentary adults. Specifically, we described the development of the computational model of Muoviti! framed in Bandura’s self-efficacy theory. Furthermore, we investigated what and why behaviour change techniques and design features deserve to be implemented in Muoviti! in order to support physical activity and users’ engagement with the digital intervention. Results indicated that potential users of Muoviti! are mainly oriented to practice physical activity in order to improve their fitness. They reported preferences for design features that support self-regulation skills (e.g., goal setting, feedback) and that focus on health-related behavioural outcomes, such as a better cardiovascular fitness and weight loss. Additionally, they expressed a discomfort about sharing personal achievements with other people, however they manifested a preference for features that supply human support. Finally, a crucial point that came up is represented by the users’ interest into a physical activity app that is able to understand the user and, consequently, adapts the intervention to contextual circumstances and to behavioural and psychological states.
STECA, PATRIZIA
BOLLINI, LETIZIA
physical; activity,; smartphone; app,; self-efficacy
physical; activity,; smartphone; app,; self-efficacy
M-PSI/01 - PSICOLOGIA GENERALE
English
23-feb-2018
PSICOLOGIA, LINGUISTICA E NEUROSCIENZE COGNITIVE - 77R
30
2016/2017
open
(2018). FROM SPORT PERFORMANCE TO DIGITAL HEALTH: UNDERSTANDING KEY PSYCHOLOGICAL VARIABLES FOR DEVELOPING A PHYSICAL ACTIVITY APP. (Tesi di dottorato, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, 2018).
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/199073
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