Results of a randomized trial testing messages tailored to participant-selected topics among female college students: physical activity outcomes.
BACKGROUND
A better understanding of identifying tailoring variables would improve message design. Tailoring to a behavior that a participant selects as one they would like to work on may increase message relevance, and thus effectiveness. This trial compared 3 groups: message tailored to physical activity as a participant-selected topic (choice), message tailored to physical activity as an expert-determined topic (expert), or nontailored message (comparison).


METHODS
408 female college students received web-delivered computer-tailored messages on physical activity. Outcomes were immediate and 1-month follow-up changes in psychosocial, goal-related, and behavioral variables related to physical activity.


RESULTS
Participants were predominately non-Hispanic White (73.8%). Change in self-efficacy and goal commitment at immediate follow-up and vigorous physical activity at 1-month follow-up was greater in the expert versus comparison group. Change in goal commitment at immediate follow-up was lower in the choice versus expert group. In the expert group, those choosing physical activity as their selected topic perceived the goal to be easier at immediate follow-up compared with those receiving unmatched messages.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings supported tailoring to an expert-determined topic. However, based on the beneficial change in perceived goal difficulty when topics matched, future research should encourage synchrony between participant-selected topics and expert recommendations.
Quintiliani
Lisa M
LM
Dept of General Internal Medicine, Boston University Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
Campbell
Marci K
MK
Bowling
J Michael
JM
Steck
Susan
S
Haines
Pamela S
PS
DeVellis
Brenda M
BM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D034742:Electronic Mail; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013334:Students; D055815:Young Adult