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Health Behavior Theory in Physical Activity Game Apps: A Content Analysis
Hannah E Payne1, Victor Ba Moxley, Elizabeth MacDonald
1Computational Health Science Research Group, Department of Health Science, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, United States. hannahp413@gmail.com.
JMIR Serious Games
|July 15, 2015
Summary
Mobile physical activity games show higher health behavior theory (HBT) inclusion than non-game apps. Common constructs like goal setting are present, but conscious design is unclear, necessitating collaboration for effective health interventions.
Area of Science:
- Digital Health
- Behavioral Science
- Mobile Health (mHealth)
Background:
- Mobile physical activity games are popular but their integration of health behavior theory (HBT) is understudied.
- Understanding HBT in these apps is crucial for developing effective digital health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify HBT elements in mobile physical activity games.
- To assess the relationship between HBT constructs and app features.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 52 exercise and physical activity game apps from the Apple App Store.
- Apps were rated for HBT inclusion using a theory-based rubric, coding 100 items across 20 constructs.
- Descriptive statistics and Spearman correlations were used to analyze theory scores and app features.
Main Results:
- The average HBT score was 14.98 out of 100, with one outlier (SuperBetter) scoring significantly higher.
- Goal setting, self-monitoring, and self-reward were the most frequently identified HBT constructs.
- No significant association was found between app price or gamification elements and HBT scores.
Conclusions:
- Physical activity mobile games exhibit higher HBT levels compared to non-game health apps.
- Commonly found constructs are known to be effective in physical activity interventions.
- Collaboration between app designers and behavioral specialists is recommended to optimize health games for interventions, with further research needed on educational versus gamification elements.
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