Table 2 Examples from the Active Women over 50 intervention coded within the COM-B domains, intervention functions and behaviour change techniques (BCTs)
| COM-B domains | Intervention function | BCTs | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychological capability | Education | Information about health consequences (5.1) |
Website: “Why be Active?” section: “Regular physical activity can make you feel good and improve your self-esteem and confidence creating opportunities to socialise and meet new people” |
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SMS/Email: Week 5: “Strength and balance exercises can help to prevent falls. You can do these exercises while watching TV. Look under “Tips” at www.[study website name].com/getting-started” | |||
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Health coaching: Verbal education about physical activity for falls prevention | |||
| Training | Instruction of how to perform a behaviour (4.1) |
Website: “How to be Active-Getting started-Tips & hints” section: Video links, e.g. falls prevention exercises | |
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SMS/Email: Week 6: “Is something blocking your activity plans? Think of likely solutions. Perhaps break down goals into easier steps. Or ask an exercise professional for advice.” | |||
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Health coaching: Instruction on balance exercises where appropriate | |||
| Graded Tasks (8.7) |
Website: “How to be Active-Getting started-7 steps to getting started” section: “Start small and gradually build up the amount of time you are active, or the intensity you can be active, or your goals. Use this pre-exercise questionnaire [link], and find out what light, moderate and vigorous exercise intensity is for you.” | ||
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SMS/Email: Week 1: “Every bit of exercise counts! Start small and gradually build up.” | |||
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Health coaching: Advice about gradual increase in physical activity | |||
| Enablement | Goal setting (behaviour and outcome) (1.1, 1.3) |
Website: “How to be Active-7 Steps for Getting Started-Step 4” and “How to be Active-Tools to keep going” section: refers participants to scheduling and goal setting resources. | |
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SMS/Email: Week 2: “Work towards your activity goals! Write down your when-where-how-action plan for the week. Put your plan & goals on your fridge, or where you can see them.” | |||
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Health coaching: Advice on setting Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely (SMART) goals, setting goals with the participant. | |||
| Action planning (1.4) |
Website: “How to be Active-Tools to keep going” section: provision of physical activity weekly planner and physical activity charting templates | ||
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SMS/Email: Week 1: “How do others keep motivated to be active? Many find making a plan with firm goals helps. Have a look at www.[study website name]/tools-to-keep-going” | |||
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Health coaching: Advice on action planning, referring to the website for physical activity weekly planner and charting templates | |||
| Self-monitoring of behaviour (2.3) |
Website: “How to be Active-Tools to keep going” section: provision of templates to chart physical activity “How to be Active-Mobile apps” section: suggestions of mobile apps to assist self-monitoring | ||
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SMS/Email: Week 3: “Hi [FirstName], Track your activity on a calendar, chart or phone app so you can see your progress. See www.[study website name].com/mobile-apps for app suggestions.” | |||
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Health coaching: Refer participant to website physical activity planning and charting templates; discussion/suggestions around wearables and phone apps for tracking activity. | |||
| Problem-solving (1.2) |
Website: “How to be Active-Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)” section: responds to FAQs about how to be active. E.g. “I’ve never really been active before. Where do I start?” and “What do I do it I think physical activity is boring?” and “I have longstanding aches and pain. Is physical activity safe?” | ||
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SMS/Email: Week 3: “If lack of time stops you from being active, how can you fit activity into your day? Replace some TV or device time with activity? Or have a walking meeting?” | |||
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Health coaching: Identify motivators and barriers to physical activity, advice on action planning | |||
| Reflective motivation | Persuasion | Feedback on behaviour (2.2) |
SMS/Email: Week 6: “It’s 6 weeks since you committed to getting active. Congratulations on your efforts so far!” |
| Verbal persuasion about capability (15.1) |
Website: “How to be Active-Getting started” section: “For you, being more physically active may be simply a matter of spending more time doing the things you already enjoy doing such as taking the dog for a walk or gardening. Or maybe it's doing an activity with someone else. Pick something to do that you enjoy - then you're more likely to stick at it.” | ||
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SMS/Email: Week 11: “Things can get in the way of you keeping up your activity. What strategies have you learnt to deal with difficult situations? Do you want to share these? www.[study website name]/contact” | |||
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Health coaching: Motivational interviewing to increase self-efficacy | |||
| Social comparison (6.2) |
Website: “Be Inspired” section: video case studies produced for the website of real women and their experiences with physical activity – why they do it and what keeps them going; weblinks to articles from social media; opportunity for participants to share their own physical activity story via the website. | ||
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SMS/Email: Week 1: “How do others keep motivated to be active?... Have a look at www.[study website name].com/tools-to-keep-going.” | |||
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Health coaching: Provision of examples of what other women 50+ have done to increase physical activity when appropriate | |||
| Credible source (9.1) |
Website: Investigator institution logos on website “Be Inspired” section: Video case studies from women aged 50+ “How to be Active-Find an activity or sport” section: links to larger reputable organisations, e.g. NSW Health, parkrun Australia | ||
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SMS/Email: Investigator contact details on each email footer, links to website and larger reputable organisations, e.g. NSW Health, parkrun Australia | |||
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Health coaching: Study health coach will be a Physiotherapist trained in behavioural intervention techniques and health coaching; participants referred to study health coach by study manager | |||
| Modelling | Demonstration of the behaviour (6.1) |
Website: “Be Inspired” section: Video links, e.g. This Girl Can, Females in Football | |
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Health coaching: Set goals with the participant; send links to balance exercise videos | |||
| Automatic motivation | Habit formation (8.3) |
Website: “Be Inspired” section: “Penny” video case study talking about importance of routine; “How to be Active-7 steps for Getting started-Step 2” section: “Find out locations, times, costs of the activity or sport.” Location and times will then act as cues to action. “How to be Active-Tools to keep going” section: provision of physical activity weekly planner and physical activity charting templates | |
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SMS/Email: Week 7: “Activities that easily fit into your daily life are much more likely to become a habit. Why not put a note on the fridge, or set a phone reminder to be active?” | |||
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Health coaching: Identify motivators for developing healthy habits | |||
| Social opportunity | Enablement | Social support (unspecified) 3.1 |
Website: “Be Inspired-Your story” section: “Share your physical activity story and read others’” to share experiences of physical activity |
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SMS/Email: Week 4: “You're more likely to succeed if you tell someone your plans to be active - a relative, friend, or even your GP.” | |||
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Health coaching: Identify social supports to support physical activity participation | |||
| Physical opportunity | Enablement | Adding objects to the environment (12.5) |
Website: Links on website for finding physical activity opportunities |
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SMS/Email: Week 3: “See www. [study website name]/find-an-activity-or-sport to pick an activity you may enjoy. While being active you could listen to music, a podcast or invite a friend.” | |||
| Environmental restructuring | Prompts/cues (7.1) |
Website: “How to be Active-Tools to keep going” section: provision of goal setting, physical activity planner, physical activity charting templates participants can print out and put up. “Be Inspired-Penny’s story” section: recommendations about the routine of putting out clothes at night as prompt to go to gym in the morning | |
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SMS/Email: Week 7: “Activities that easily fit into your daily life are much more likely to become a habit. Why not put a note on the fridge, or set a phone reminder to be active?” | |||
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Health coaching: Provide suggested prompts/cues to activity, e.g. stick goals/action plans on fridge |