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Cited by 172Mobile Health and mHealth ApplicationsDigital Mental Health InterventionsBehavioral Health and Interventions

Exploring the Role of In-Person Components for Online Health Behavior Change Interventions: Can a Digital Person-to-Person Component Suffice?

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Santarossa, Sara, Kane, Deborah, Senn, Charlene Y, Woodruff, Sarah J·2018·Journal of Medical Internet Research
DOI 10.2196/jmir.8480PMC PMC5917076

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Abstract

The growth of the digital environment provides tremendous opportunities to revolutionize health behavior change efforts. This paper explores the use of Web-based, mobile, and social media health behavior change interventions and determines whether there is a need for a face-to-face or an in-person component. It is further argued that that although in-person components can be beneficial for online interventions, a digital person-to-person component can foster similar results while dealing with challenges faced by traditional intervention approaches. Using a digital person-to-person component is rooted in social and behavioral theories such as the theory of reasoned action, and the social cognitive theory, and further justified by the human support constructs of the model of supportive accountability. Overall, face-to-face and online behavior change interventions have their respective advantages and disadvantages and functions, yet both serve important roles. It appears that it is in fact human support that is the most important component in the effectiveness and adherence of both face-to-face and online behavior change interventions, and thoughtfully introducing a digital person-to-person component, to replace face-to-face interactions, can provide the needed human support while diminishing the barriers of in-person meetings. The digital person-to-person component must create accountability, generate opportunities for tailored feedback, and create social support to successfully create health behavior change. As the popularity of the online world grows, and the interest in using the digital environment for health behavior change interventions continues to be embraced, further research into not only the use of online interventions, but the use of a digital person-to-person component, must be explored.

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  • Perceived relevance and the inclusion of social support are associated with increased effect sizes in digital behavior change interventions.

    “Compared to more traditional knowledge transfer methods in digital health (eg, tailored modules), the conversational methods in virtual assistance may be perceived as more personally relevant and humanistic, which is critical given that perceived relevance and the inclusion of social support are associated with increased effect sizes in digital behavior change interventions [7,8].”

    From A Physical Activity and Diet Program Delivered by Artificially Intelligent Virtual Health Coach: Proof-of-Concept Study (2020) · cites this paper as [7]

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1 of the 84 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. [87]Duffett-Leger L Developing a Web-Based Approach for Promoting Cervical Health in Young Women [doctoral dissertation] 2011 New Brunswick, Canada University of New Brunswick

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Authors
Santarossa, S., Kane, D., Senn, C. Y., & Woodruff, S. J.
Affiliations
University of Windsor (CA)
Corresponding author
Santarossa, Sara
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Medical Internet Research
Publisher
JMIR Publications Inc.
Published
2018-04-11
Volume
20
Issue
4
Pages
e144
ISSN
1438-8871 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.2196/jmir.8480
PMC
PMC5917076
OpenAlex
W2797005961
Cited by
172
References
84
Citations by year
2026: 10 · 2025: 33 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 36 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 3
FWCI
19.07
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by
Locations
  • Journal of Medical Internet Research (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Scholarship at UWindsor (University of Windsor) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Mobile Health and mHealth Applications
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Behavioral Health and Interventions
Keywords
health behavior change interventions, online intervention, human support, social support, theory of reasoned action, social cognitive theory, accountability, personalized feedback, mobile health, social media interventions, intervention adherence
MeSH terms
Humans, Social Support, Health Behavior, Education, Distance, Social Media

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