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Effects of a Worksite Group Intervention to Promote Physical Activity and Health: The Role of Psychological Coaching
Author(s) -
Krebs Simone,
Baaken Anke,
Wurst Ramona,
Goehner Wiebke,
Fuchs Reinhard
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
applied psychology: health and well‐being
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.276
H-Index - 31
eISSN - 1758-0854
pISSN - 1758-0846
DOI - 10.1111/aphw.12170
Subject(s) - coaching , psychological intervention , physical therapy , health promotion , physical activity , cluster (spacecraft) , psychology , component (thermodynamics) , clinical psychology , medicine , statistical significance , promotion (chess) , public health , nursing , psychotherapist , physics , politics , computer science , political science , law , thermodynamics , programming language
Background This study investigates whether a worksite physical activity ( PA ) promotion program consisting of both a “practical” PA component and a “theoretical” (psychological) coaching component ( PA +C) is more effective than the same “practical” PA component alone. Methods N = 213 employees were assigned to two groups by cluster‐randomisation: one group received the “MoVo‐work” program including a PA component and a coaching component ( PA +C group). The other group received only the PA component ( PA group). Assessment of PA and health was conducted at five time points. Results Six weeks after program completion the percentage of physically active participants was significantly higher in the PA +C group compared to the PA group (68% vs. 45%; p = .01). At 12‐month follow‐up, the PA +C group showed a higher percentage of physically active participants and a better health status than the PA group on the descriptive level, but these differences did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions Results suggest that a PA promotion program including a psychological coaching component is more effective in evoking behavior change than a practical PA program alone. However, booster interventions are required to maintain the additional effects.