Translating Promoting Factors and Behavior Change Principles Into a Blended and Technology-Supported Intervention to...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Asthma Management
• Behavioral Science in Health
• Digital Health Interventions

Background:

• Asthma in children can be managed by increasing physical activity (PA).
• Healthcare providers need effective interventions to promote PA and behavior change in children with asthma.
• Technology-supported approaches show promise for improving PA and physical functioning in pediatric populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a technology-supported intervention to help healthcare providers promote PA in children (aged 8-12) with asthma.
• To systematically document the developmental process of this intervention.

Main Methods:

• Intervention Mapping (IM) framework was used for development.
• Co-creation process involving children with asthma, parents, and healthcare providers.
• Key IM steps included needs assessment, defining objectives, selecting theory-based methods, component development, pilot testing, and creating implementation and evaluation plans.

Main Results:

• The blended intervention 'Foxfit' was developed, comprising a PA monitoring app for children and a web dashboard for healthcare providers.
• Foxfit focuses on improving social participation through everyday PA, incorporating behavior change principles and gamification.
• Components include goal setting, rewards, action planning, monitoring, feedback, and a gamified narrative; an evaluation plan for usability and feasibility was created.

Conclusions:

• The IM framework facilitated systematic development and documentation of the technology-supported intervention.
• Foxfit effectively translates scientific evidence, user needs, and behavior change principles into a practical tool for promoting PA in children with asthma.
• The intervention's design highlights the integration of behavior change techniques to support pediatric asthma management.