Behavior Change Techniques Used in Mobile Applications Targeting Physical Activity: A Systematic Review

Abstract

The increasing capabilities of smartphones have motivated the appearance of mobile applications targeting physical activity in the app stores. Through a variety of specifications and functions, these mobile apps support behavior change. This systematic review reports the behavior change techniques (BCTs) and health behavior theories used in mobile applications targeting physical activity. In this review, taxonomy of 26 different behavior change techniques and 7 different health behavior theories was used as a framework. Of 350 potentially relevant articles, 8 satisfied the inclusion criteria for this study. The results showed that providing feedback on performance was the most frequently used BCT. Prompting specific goal setting was the second most common, and providing instruction was the third most commonly used BCT. These findings suggest that app developers make an effort to integrate health behavior theories to some extent.

Appendix. The Frequency of BCTs in the Studies

BCT	Yang et al. (2015)	Middelweerd et al. (2014)	Conroy et al. (2014)	Direito et al. (2014)	Mercer et al. (2016)	Bardus et al. (2016)	Brannon and Cushing (2014)	Lyons et al. (2014)	Frequency
Provide feedback on performance	97	64	83	52	7	33	2	15	353
Prompt specific goal setting	53	40	103	38	4	32	3	21	294
Provide instruction	37	14	111	84	4	9	13	5	277
Plan social support or social change	84	37	61	55	7	11		14	269
Prompt self-monitoring of behavior	51	62	17	60	7	20	12	29	258
Model or demonstrate behavior	47	7	88	52	1	2	11		208
Prompt review of behavioral goals	23	4	69	22	15	44	13	13	203
Provide opportunities for social comparison	35	10	26	55	14	8	6	8	162
Provide contingent rewards	38	31	24	25	19	4	3	11	155
Provide information about others’ approval	64		46	8	7	7		8	140
Set graded tasks	33	3	22	70		2		5	135
Provide information on consequences	13		10	52	5	16		12	108
Prompt practice	5	12	18	45	3	7			90
Provide general encouragement	34			35			3	13	85
Prompt intention formation	10	6	5	50	7	5	1		84
Prompt identification as a role model				55					55
Teach to use prompts or cues	3	1	13		4	6		7	34
Prompt barrier identification	15		6	2	1	1		1	26
Provide information about behavior-health link	13	12							25
Use follow-up prompts		2		5					7
Stress management				5					5
Motivational interviewing				2					2
Prompt self-talk				2					2
Time management		2							2
Agree on behavioral contract		1							1
Relapse prevention			1						1