ArticleDigital health
A quasi-experimental investigation of college students' ratings of two physical activity mobile apps with varied behavior change technique quantity.
Article in Digital health. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Investigating the approach of using behavior change techniques in the field of mobile applications: a systematic review.BMC health services research · 2025Pooled it
- Potential associations between behavior change techniques and engagement with mobile health apps: a systematic review.Frontiers in psychology · 2023Pooled it
- User Experience With a Personalized mHealth Service for Physical Activity Promotion in University Students: Mixed Methods Study.JMIR formative research · 2025Article
- An Assessment of Behavior Change Techniques in Two Versions of a Dietary Mobile Application: The Change4Life Food Scanner.Frontiers in public health · 2022Article
- Mobile Phone Apps for Food Allergies or Intolerances in App Stores: Systematic Search and Quality Assessment Using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS).JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAn assessment of how users rate physical activity apps of varying behavior change technique content is necessary to understand if users recognize differences in an app's ability to promote physical activity.
objectiveThe purpose of this study was to compare user ratings of an app with a lower behavior change technique count to an app with a higher behavior change technique count.
methodParticipants were randomly assigned to interact with either the high behavior change technique app or the low behavior change technique app using an iPad. Participants then completed a Mobile App Rating questionnaire.
resultsThe final sample included 83 participants with an average age of 22.66 years (SD = 2.13; range = 20-29). Independent
conclusionApp users rated a physical activity app with higher behavior change technique content more favorably on aesthetics, engagement, subjective quality, and perceived impact than those with reduced behavior change technique content. Additional research is needed to understand how these perceptions influence users during the app selection process, as well as the efficacy of apps for promoting physical activity behavior change.
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Registered trials
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