Use of self-management strategies in a 2-year cognitive-behavioral intervention to promote physical activity

Training in the use of self-management strategies (e.g., self-monitoring, positive 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 and outcomes are rare. The use of cognitive and behavior strategies pertinent to increasing physical activity was assessed via survey at post-course, 1-year, and 2-year follow-up among 256 university seniors randomly assigned to either an intervention that promoted strategy use or to a non-behavioral health course (control). Strategy use was higher among intervention relative to control women only at post-course, but was significantly related to women's leisure-time physical activity at post-course, 1-year, and 2-year follow-up after controlling for prior physical activity and condition. Men's strategy use did not differ by condition at any time point, but was associated with men's physical activity at 2-year follow-up. Strategy use was also assessed among intervention participants during ongoing phone contact. Participants' frequency of goal setting accounted for an additional 5.1% of women's physical activity variance at the 2-year assessment, but strategy use assessed on this ongoing basis was not related to men's physical activity. Examining proposed intervention mechanisms of change and the relation between these mechanisms and outcomes is paramount to improving cognitive-behavioral interventions.