Be. Saelens et al., Use of self-management strategies in a 2-year cognitive-behavioral intervention to promote physical activity, BEHAV THER, 31(2), 2000, pp. 365-379
Training in the use of self-management strategies (e.g., self-monitoring, p
ositive self-talk) is common in behavioral and cognitive interventions, and
participants' strategy use is a hypothesized mechanism for behavior change
. However, reports of strategy use and the relation between strategy use an
d outcomes are rare. The use of cognitive and behavior strategies pertinent
to increasing physical activity was assessed via survey at post-course, I-
year, and 2-year follow-up among 256 university seniors randomly assigned t
o either an intervention that promoted strategy use or to a nonbehavioral h
ealth course (control). Strategy use was higher among intervention relative
to control women only at post-course, but was significantly related to wom
en's leisure-time physical activity at post-course, I-year, and 2-year foll
ow-up after controlling for prior physical activity and condition. Men's st
rategy use did not differ by condition at any time point, but was associate
d with men's physical activity at 2-year follow-up. Strategy use was also a
ssessed among intervention participants during ongoing phone contact. Parti
cipants' frequency of goal setting accounted for an additional 5.1% of wome
n's physical activity variance at the 2-year assessment, but strategy use a
ssessed on this ongoing basis was not related to men's physical activity. E
xamining proposed intervention mechanisms of change and the relation betwee
n these mechanisms and outcomes is paramount to improving cognitive-behavio
ral interventions.