Mediating social support through sensor-based technologies for children's health behavior change

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Science
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Health Technology

Background:

• Sensor-based technologies (SBTs) can foster social support, increasing motivation for positive health behaviors.
• Self-determination theory and technological affordances provide a framework for understanding SBTs' impact on intrinsic motivation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test the long-term efficacy of an SBT ecosystem in enhancing social support for children's behavior change.
• To examine the impact of SBTs on children's perceived relatedness and physical activity (PA) attitudes.

Main Methods:

• An ecosystem of SBTs (Fitbits, virtual agents, messaging) was implemented in afterschool programs.
• 19 afterschool programs were randomized to either the SBT ecosystem or a Fitbit with a computer for 6 months.
• Parental social support, children's perceived support from virtual agents, perceived relatedness, and PA attitudes were measured.

Main Results:

• Parents of girls provided more social support to children through the SBT ecosystem compared to parents of boys.
• Children's perceived support from the virtual agent positively correlated with perceived relatedness and PA attitudes over time.
• The SBT ecosystem demonstrated potential for strengthening social support and influencing children's health behaviors.

Conclusions:

• SBTs can be effectively utilized to bolster social support networks for children, promoting sustained engagement in health behaviors.
• Virtual agents within SBT ecosystems can positively influence children's sense of relatedness and attitudes towards physical activity.
• The findings highlight the potential of integrated SBTs to foster intrinsic motivation and support long-term behavior change in children.