Health Behavior Theory in Physical Activity Game Apps: A Content Analysis.
Health Behavior Theory in Physical Activity Game Apps: A Content Analysis.
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DOI：
10.2196/games.4187
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发表时间：
2015-07-13
影响因子：
4
通讯作者：
MacDonald E
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Payne HE;Moxley VB;MacDonald E
为移动的手机平台开发的体育活动游戏正变得越来越受欢迎，但对它们的内容或健康行为理论（HBT）的包含却知之甚少。我们研究的目的是量化为移动的手机开发的体育活动游戏中的HBT元素，并评估理论结构和各种应用程序功能之间的关系。我们在2014年秋季对Apple App Store中的运动和体育活动游戏应用程序进行了分析。共有52个应用程序被确定和评级纳入健康行为理论结构使用一个既定的理论为基础的标题。每个应用程序编码为100个理论项目，包含20个不同结构的5个问题。可能的理论总分范围为0 - 100。描述性统计和斯皮尔曼相关性分别用于描述HBT评分和与选定应用程序功能的关联。样本中的平均HBT得分为14.98分（满分100分）。一个离群值，SuperBetter，得分高于其他应用程序，得分为76分。目标设定、自我监控和自我奖励是样本中报告最多的结构。应用程序价格和理论得分（P=.5074）或游戏化元素数量和理论得分（P=.5010）之间没有关联。然而，具有最高HBT分数的Superbetter也是最昂贵的应用程序。很少有关于健康的严肃游戏的内容分析，但这些发现与以前的非游戏健康应用程序的内容分析之间的比较表明，身体活动移动的手机游戏表现出更高水平的行为理论。在这个样本中发现的最常见的理论结构被认为是身体活动干预的有效元素。然而，目前尚不清楚应用程序设计者是否有意识地设计具有特定结构的身体活动移动的手机游戏;可能是游戏本身很适合包含理论，并且在重要级别中发现的任何结构都是巧合。为移动的手机开发的健康游戏有可能用于健康干预，但应用程序设计师和行为专家之间的合作至关重要。此外，还需要进一步的研究来更好地描述移动的手机健康游戏以及教育元素与游戏化元素在长期行为改变中的相对重要性。
Physical activity games developed for a mobile phone platform are becoming increasingly popular, yet little is known about their content or inclusion of health behavior theory (HBT). The objective of our study was to quantify elements of HBT in physical activity games developed for mobile phones and to assess the relationship between theoretical constructs and various app features. We conducted an analysis of exercise and physical activity game apps in the Apple App Store in the fall of 2014. A total of 52 apps were identified and rated for inclusion of health behavior theoretical constructs using an established theory-based rubric. Each app was coded for 100 theoretical items, containing 5 questions for 20 different constructs. Possible total theory scores ranged from 0 to 100. Descriptive statistics and Spearman correlations were used to describe the HBT score and association with selected app features, respectively. The average HBT score in the sample was 14.98 out of 100. One outlier, SuperBetter, scored higher than the other apps with a score of 76. Goal setting, self-monitoring, and self-reward were the most-reported constructs found in the sample. There was no association between either app price and theory score (P=.5074), or number of gamification elements and theory score (P=.5010). However, Superbetter, with the highest HBT score, was also the most expensive app. There are few content analyses of serious games for health, but a comparison between these findings and previous content analyses of non-game health apps indicates that physical activity mobile phone games demonstrate higher levels of behavior theory. The most common theoretical constructs found in this sample are known to be efficacious elements in physical activity interventions. It is unclear, however, whether app designers consciously design physical activity mobile phone games with specific constructs in mind; it may be that games lend themselves well to inclusion of theory and any constructs found in significant levels are coincidental. Health games developed for mobile phones could be potentially used in health interventions, but collaboration between app designers and behavioral specialists is crucial. Additionally, further research is needed to better characterize mobile phone health games and the relative importance of educational elements versus gamification elements in long-term behavior change.