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Table 1 Physical activity coaching schedule, content, theory, determinants and behaviour change techniques

From: A physical activity coaching intervention can improve and maintain physical activity and health-related outcomes in adult ambulatory hospital patients: the Healthy4U-2 randomised controlled trial

Session

Week

Session determinants

Content

Techniques

1

1

Physical activity expectations;

Physical activity past experiences;

Physical activity self-efficacy;

Physical activity values.

• Exploration of current and historical physical activity behaviours;

• Identify telephone coaching outcome expectations;

• Identify physical activity outcome expectations;

• Determine level of motivation for increasing physical activity (e.g. how motivated are you to increase physical activity on a scale of 1–10? Why did you give it a 3, as opposed to a 4 or 5?);

• Identify and address unrealistic physical activity expectations;

• Assess barriers to physical activity;

• Discuss goals and action plans.

Motivational interviewing strategies:

• Open ended questions;

• Affirmations;

• Reflections;

• Summaries;

• Develop discrepancy; and

• Illicit change talk.

Cognitive-behavioural techniques:

• Elicit PA outcome expectations and experiences;

• Elicit values and physical activity priorities;

• Identify physical activity barriers and problem solving;

• Goal setting –behavioural;

• Action planning.

2

2

Physical activity outcome expectations;

Experience regarding goal setting.

• Review of goal progress from session 1;

• Barrier identification and determine level of self-efficacy for overcoming barriers (e.g. how confident are you to overcome barrier X on a scale of 1–10? Why did you give it a 3, as opposed to a 4 or 5?);

• Progress and amend action-plan and goals;

• If physical activity goals involve program based activities (e.g. strength training, walking groups) individual to source contact details.

Motivational interviewing strategies as above.

• Illicit and explore change talk.

Cognitive-behavioural techniques:

• Problem solving;

• Goal setting;

• Focus on past success;

• Prompt experiential learning through trial and error.

3

4

Outcome expectations and experiences in relation to physical activity goal progress.

• Review of goals and progress from session 2;

• Explore current experiences of physical activity;

• Barrier identification and self-efficacy strategies for overcoming barriers;

• Discuss self-monitoring strategies to monitor goal (e.g. physical activity tracking);

• Discuss intervention timelines and action plan for the next two weeks.

Motivational interviewing strategies as above.

Cognitive-behavioural techniques:

• Review of physical activity behaviour and outcome goal(s);

• Elicit current physical activity outcome experiences;

• Goal planning, and what-then plans;

• Education regarding self-monitoring of behaviour or outcomes;

• Relapse prevention.

4

6

Physical activity outcome expectations;

Exercise self-efficacy;

Coping strategies;

Future planning.

• Review of progress from session 3;

• Explore current experiences of physical activity;

• Relapse prevention - tailored to individual needs;

• Discuss intervention timelines and action plan for the next six weeks.

Motivational interviewing strategies as above.

Cognitive-behavioural techniques

• Elicit current physical activity outcome experiences;

• Coping strategies (e.g. physical activity pacing, planning);

• Engaging social support;

• Relapse prevention

5

12

Theory of behavioural maintenance; Relapse prevention;

• Intervention recap;

• Review of progress from previous session and intervention as a whole;

• Identify what has helped PA changes;

• Identify what can helped PA maintenance;

• Relapse prevention – identification of potential future scenarios, and what-then plans for overcoming issues (e.g. if I experience X, then I will do Y);

• Additional follow-on services – community health promotion services/exercise services.

Motivational interviewing strategies as outlined above.

Cognitive-behavioural techniques:

• Action planning - focus on past and current success;

• Problem solving – what-if planning.

• Relapse prevention.