Abstract
Physical inactivity increases the risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. Females, more than males, become increasingly inactive as they age. The primary aim was to develop and measure the effect of a theory-based, Web-delivered, physical activity intervention on walking behavior in college-aged women. The secondary aim was to perform a process evaluation to determine the efficacy of the intervention and explore potential mediating variables that explain changes in health behavior. A group of 121 college-aged women from Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Utah was recruited and randomly assigned to a 4-week intervention or control group. The intervention, based on Social Cognitive Theory of behavior change, used the internet to deliver theory-based interactive activities, such as behavioral capabilities, self-efficacy, outcome expectancies, reinforcement, and self-regulated walking. The control group was asked not to change their activity. Pre- and postintervention data were collected for steps per day (steps/d, Yamax SW 200 pedometer) and scores on the Exercise Self-Efficacy scale. To examine whether walking behavior increased as a result of the intervention, RM ANOVA was used to assess changes in steps/d over time. To examine whether self-efficacy was a mediating variable for the changes in walking behavior, a mediation model was tested and the significance of the model was determined using Sobel's test. Findings indicated that college-aged women who received the intervention were significantly more physically active (steps/d) than women who did not receive the intervention. Self-Efficacy partially mediated the intervention to increase physical activity. Process evaluation assessed the context and the recruitment and maintenance components of the study. Environmental, economic, and social factors contributed to increased walking behaviors. Fatigue, lack of time, and motivation were barriers to walking. Goal setting and self-monitoring promoted participation, whereas lack of time and motivation deterred participation in the program. This study reveals that a theory-based nursing intervention delivered via the Internet was instrumental in facilitating the adoption of routine walking in college women. Strengths and weaknesses of the intervention were identified through process evaluation and should be useful for those seeking to design similar interventions with this population.
Sigma Membership
Rho Psi
Type
Dissertation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Quasi-Experimental Study, Other
Research Approach
Mixed/Multi Method Research
Keywords:
Increasing Physical Activity, College-aged Women, Changes in Health Behavior
Advisors
Duffy, Mary E.
Degree
PhD
Degree Grantor
The University of Utah
Degree Year
2006
Recommended Citation
Ornes, Lynne L., "A theory-based, web-mediated physical activity intervention for college women" (2020). Dissertations. 1549.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/dissertations/1549
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository.
All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
None: Degree-based Submission
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2020-07-10
Full Text of Presentation
wf_yes
Description
This dissertation has also been disseminated through the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. Dissertation/thesis number: 3226097; ProQuest document ID: 304985976. The author still retains copyright.